Limbo
by Alis Volat Propris
Summary: Of course she denied him. She was his own personal limbo, somewhere between heaven and hell. Angsty Sasu/Saku..ish?
1. Chapter 1

AN: One shots are the stories I cheat with when I'm bored or hit a writers block on one of my other ones. I can't help it. They're the noncommittal one night stands of the fanfiction world and the temptation is just too much to pass up. I'm a one shot/no plot commitment whore. Sue me.

Sasuke's sharingan eyes narrowed. This was exactly the sort of predicament he had come onto this mission to prevent. Damn. Charges exploding around them but he ignored it, eying the health of two on their team. Part of him longed for the days of being a nukenin; he didn't have to look after anyone but his own back. He'd simply gathered a dispensable, disposable team. The other part of him was the reason why he was still here. The logical portion, the part that needed justification, said he needed the challenge of a team, working with variable strengths and weaknesses to better hone his own. The real reason he knew was her. Red eyes looked to bright pink hair. Sakura was passing off the unconscious Hyuuga heir to Sai who shifted her weight on his back. Sakura's eyes narrowed as she glared out into the snow at their enemies. They had been ambushed by half the country's forces. It was inevitable that casualties would happen.

"Get moving, Sai" She ordered harshly, brushing stray hairs away from her face with bloodied hands.

Sasuke didn't think he would ever get used to this new Sakura who was not squeamish about blood being caked in her hair. She was so different and yet so fundamentally the same. It annoyed him. He knew what she was going to do. She was still predictable. She would protect her precious people and get herself killed in the process. Idiot.

Dobe was going to kill him, if he lived through this, Sasuke thought bitterly.

"You too, Uchiha." Sakura said flatly, thumb motioning after Sai.

That irritated him. She refused to call him by his first name in front of others. She was trying to distance herself from him. Sasuke ignored her, concentrating on the position of the enemy. They had about ten minutes. He pulled the wire from his pack, slicing his kunai through it quickly as he began to set up traps.

"Are you disregarding a direct order from your captain?" She snapped.

He continued to ignore her, focusing on the task at hand.

"Are you listening to me, Uchiha"

"No" He replied.

"Damn it, Sasuke, get the hell out of here" Sakura snarled, grabbing him by his vest, as she glared up at him.

The smirk that pulled at the corners of his mouth spread. He loved it when she was angry. Then she would acknowledge him, would act like he actually existed. He could understand now why Naruto had done all those stupid things in his youth. Acknowledgement was worth its weight in gold. She'd said his name, proof that he got to her and that's all he wanted. Proof that she was still who she was beneath the weight of responsibility and leadership. Beneath the exteriors she put up to keep him out.

"Stop being annoying. Dobe would never forgive me if I left you to die alone" Sasuke replied, completely focused on his task at hand.

In hindsight, he should have known that she would be childish about it, but part of him welcomed her anger. It was better than her passive aggressive bullshit.

Sakura slugged him, hard. "I'm not going to die, you idiot! I don't need you!" She cried.

Sasuke wiped the blood dribbling down his chin, red eyes glaring balefully. He deserved that, but it didn't stop his jaw from clenching. He was getting god awful tired of letting Sakura punish him for the past.

He had come back, which was what she wanted, what team seven had wanted. They had fought so hard for it. Now that he was here, it was like he had disappointed them. Like it was a bunch of trash, the words they'd spouted to him while he'd been gone. He was in Anbu now, under her direct supervision. Him submitting to _her _leadership. It certainly wasn't because she was stronger than him...it was because they trusted her; he trusted her. What should have been him returning to find her waiting for him, the fairy tale ending, and him getting his best friend back. What should have been life becoming more manageable because the dead finally could rest in peace, and him having the life he'd had before, had turned into something of a nightmare.

Instead he found himself being the odd man out. Sakura and Naruto were dating. By entering into their relationship, they had abandoned him. They had gone somewhere he couldn't, a place he couldn't follow. Their relationship left him wrung out in the cold. It was painful to be around them, but he did it anyways hoping for something of their former glory. Now with Sai in the picture and Naruto and Sakura coupled up, it was awkward and forced.

Sakura had become an Anbu Captain, Naruto a special jounin with his own little team. They were getting along famously without him. It hurt, if he ever acknowledged the ache in his heart in the first place. And of course there was that pasty face imposter who'd stepped in, in _his_ place for team seven. The pasty faced fool never ceased to remind him of that fact when Sakura and Naruto weren't around. Of course, Sasuke never ceased to show him why he would never be good enough to fill his shoes. Sai irritated him, grated on every nerve. The bastard had the nerve to smile and call him fake even after he'd handed him his ass in sparring.

"Chee. I said the same thing when I left. We're a team, _remember_? I'm not going anywhere, Sakura. Now shut up, and do something useful for a change" He said passing her the wire.

Sakura's eyes narrowed and glared at him, but did what she was told and focused her anger into the task at hand. "I'm not doing this because you think you're right, and you can bet your ass that Tsunade's going to hear about your insubordination."

"Just say it already Sakura. It's okay to admit I'm right" Sasuke smirked as the two leapt into the trees to string the wire.

"The hell you are." Sakura snapped back. The traps were laid. They might actually survive this if the enemy ninja weren't Anbu class.

"Let's make a run for it. We should be able to find shelter along the way back home" Sakura said, breaking into a sprint as she slipped on her mask.

Sasuke followed after her, following suit.

Home. Sasuke's brow furrowed. He lived for missions, the times where he was away from the reality of what he had done. On missions he could delude himself into thinking that things weren't the way they were. His team put the emotional baggage aside when it came to missions, able to overlook his obvious betrayal that no one seemed to let him live down. That Sakura loved him the way he needed her to when she'd look at him terrified and heal him from the brink of death begging him not to go.

At home, on Konoha soil people went out of their way to snub him out of some vindictive loyalty to Sakura and Naruto. At home, Sakura grew even colder to him around Naruto who didn't understand and had resorted to the meetings with the two of them present at minimum. Their friends however picked up on Sakura's spite and seemed to conclude it was deserved and added fire to the flames. Naruto tried to talk to them, escalating the problem and claiming that everything was fine now. But everything wasn't fine. Things would never be the same again. Things couldn't be. And their friends felt like they had to rub it in his face every fucking five seconds. Yeah. He was getting damn tired of being punished for the past.

They ran on, sticking to the trees to avoid the snow laden ground covered over explosives. Idiots. If they wanted to catch Anbu class ninja they would have to be a lot more creative. As it was, their civilians would probably kill themselves on accident by the traps laid out. Sasuke tried to remind himself that he didn't care, when several of Sakura's kunai hit the targeted explosives. The boom resounded through the forest.

"You just gave away our position, Taishou" Sasuke told her.

"We can handle our own. Civilians don't need to suffer for their lack of skill. Besides…" She grinned as several similar explosions went off. "They'll be a little busy"

"When did you find time to arrange those?" He asked, calculating the damage.

"When I wasn't on watch last night. Figured they'd come in handy" She replied, giving him a real smile. That real smile distracted him, and a moment's heisitation was all they needed.

Her eyes widened and her mouth opened to warn him as she launched her kunai at the attacker. Enemy nin exploded in the area from their ambush site. Her kunai had saved him a mangled arm. Katana out, he parried the blow that meant to kill and killed him with a chidori blast through the blade. Sakura apparently was dealing with the brunt of them. He felt the death of one of the men she punched into a tree, the death of a group of them as she launched senbon at them. He round housed another into a tree. She cracked the ground killing several low end shinobi. He saw her getting pummeled by taijutsu moves, but he couldn't do anything about it because he was dealing with a division of sword bearing nin. Irritated beyond all belief, he turned and shot the surrounding area with a katon blast, roasting them all and sacrificing chakra for the sake of time.

He turned Sharingan eyes back to Sakura and she stumbled as she had punched the brains out of her last opponent a bloody mess surrounding her within 300 yards. His eyes widened as he saw the sword poking out the back of her kidneys. Damn her and her carelessness. Moving with lightning quick speed, she was in his arms, choking on a sob as he was running sprinting for all he was worth.

"Sasuke kun.." She choked out, hands catching in the folds of his anbu shirt, clinging to him. She was somewhere between conciousness. He didn't have time to savor the old ending on his name. He had to get them the hell out of here

"Heal yourself, damn it!" He demanded, popping an antidote pill into her mouth.

Her face took on a healthier sheen as she gasped. Sasuke grimaced. He was trying his best not to jostle her, but that was practically impossible on the move when they needed speed. Explosions rocked behind them and Sasuke pressed on using the explosion to cover their retreat. He didn't stop sprinting as he left traps behind him in his wake incase the explosions weren't enough. Green chakra lit around her as she healed her internal organs around the sword whilst they moved.

"We need to seek shelter, Sakura. Those clouds" He gestured towards them. "don't look promising."

She nodded, pain stricken across her face as she held the sword in place.

"Thank you." She said softly.

"For?" He wondered.

"For saving my life" She replied.

They wandered into the snow storm. The pro was that they would loose the other ninja who weren't crazy enough to go through the weather to find them and risk death. The con was that they might die of frostbite themselves. They had winter cloaks but it didn't matter with the extent of their injuries. Added was the fact that they were soaked to the bone. Sasuke shivered, but searched among the caves lining the mountains they were being snowed into. Sharingan poured over every nook and cranny, for something sheltered enough and secluded enough to not draw attention. He was being picky, or cautious depending on how you looked at it. He finally found something that would work. He set her down and she grimaced in pain.

While she pulled the sword out of her abdomen, he secured the area, and unpacked his supplies.

"We'll need a fire to survive the night, which means I have to try and find dry firewood." He said, taking off.

Traps were laid within two miles of their camp with Anbu expertise. He would know if they came too close. He should go back and check on her. A wound that grevious was still serious business. He gathered firewood quicker, worried.

Sakura sighed, throwing the sword to the side, as she took her pack off, setting up their sleeping arrangements. Her abdomen was still tender but major damage healed. She scowled at their residence. Of course the cave was small. The cave was long and narrow. She set up a cooking area towards the front of it and pulled out what was left of their meager supplies. The noodle balls. Her nose wrinkled in distaste. It was all they had with them. These were their emergency rations. They should have been home today to re supply. Naruto would worry. Sakura bit her lip feeling the tears.

The man she had fantasized about for years, her childhood crush was here. The prodigal Uchiha whom she had grown to hate. She still wasn't sure what about him that she disliked, when not so long ago she had loved every bit. Perhaps it was who she became when she was with him. Or the girl she had been who loved him. In either case, she hated it.

He returned and sealed the cave behind them with a boulder, shielding them from the wind chill as he set up the fire, setting spare branches for the rest of the night. Sakura's teeth chattered as she huddled in her cloak. With a breath he started the fire, and coaxed it to flames. She set up the makeshift grill, and set the pot with snow on it for melting and boiling and sat, lost in her thoughts. Both of them huddled in their gear and cloaks, across from each other and the fire at the widest portion of the cave. His feet, stretched out to soak up the fire were almost touching her crossed knees.

"Are we going to ignore each other the entire time?" He offered, sharingan still activated in case the other ninja were truly crazy.

"I figured you would appreciate the gesture as something significant from our childhood" She remarked, angry jade staring into the fire. He sighed.

"I hate it when you ignore me" He told her honestly.

That got a reaction. She looked at him in shock. He smirked.

"Surprised? You shouldn't be. After all Uchiha thrive for attention with a flare for dramatics" He snapped, mocking the very words she had used earlier in her public rebuke of him with their anbu team.

"I guess so" She replied coldly.

"Why do you hate me?" Sasuke threw it out into the open, tired of dancing around the subject with their verbal spars. They had sharpened their tongues on each other one too many times for him to stand it any longer. Now was as good a time as any to hash out their problems, particularly without one ramen breathing dobe trying to peace make.

"I don't hate you" Sakura replied weakly.

"Like hell you don't. You treat me with chilled civility, at best, Sakura. You use any opportunity public or private to put me down. I think I liked it better when we were geinin, at least then you'd fight fair and beat it out of your system. Instead of this passive aggressive bullshit" Sasuke spat.

Jade eyes narrowed.

Sasuke said nothing, his point having been proven. Sakura scowled. Sasuke waited, staring her down with those dark red eyes.

"I don't know, okay?" She ground out, jaw clenched.

"No. No, it's not okay. It hasn't been okay for months! Just tell me what's wrong already so I can _fix_ it already. I'm tired of this" Sasuke snapped.

"You can't _fix _it! It's broken, Sasuke! There's nothing you can do! You left us and then you walk back in and Oh everything's fine. It's _not_ fine!"

"I _never_ expected it to be fine. I knew it was a failure to begin with, but at least I'm trying. You won't even give me that"

"How typical of you to underestimate us. You didn't give us the chance when it mattered" Sakura snapped.

"There was no point to hoping, was there with the outcome the same?" Sasuke replied.

"Stop it" Sakura snapped.

"No! Just _Tell_ me Sakura, anything is better than this"

"It can't be like it used to, Sasuke!" Sakura screamed.

"Why?" He demanded. "Why not?" he said, moving closer to her

"Because I'm not supposed to love you" Sakura cried and then froze. Green eyes widened as tears streaked down her face.

"You-" Sasuke's eyes were wide and he flash stepped; was in front of her with lightning speed.

"Don't-" She begged, hand up as his chest met her fingertips. She froze again and he looked down at her hand, gloved fingers sliding over it.

"No." He said. She recoiled and retreated against the wall of the cave, trying to tug her hand back which he refused to relinquish.

"You love me" He said, drawing closer, brushing the blood caked strand from her face.

"No" She whispered, turning her head, closing her eyes against him, against his touch.

"You do" He told her simply, using his thumb to wipe the dirt and tears from her face.

"Damnit I said no." She replied, hanging her head.

"Look me in the eyes and tell me" Sasuke dared her, smirking.

"I don't love you" She cried, throwing the words at him as jade eyes bored into his Sharingan.

"Liar.." He told her, sharingan whirling.

Then he kissed her, hard, needing to feel the touch, the contact. She gasped, and it lit his mind on fire with desire. He _wanted_ her, and it physically hurt as he yearned for her. The first touch of her lips against his, her tongue had been heaven. He waited. And waited. And then he opened his eyes. She met his look head on. She didn't respond. She didn't move. She became rigid and he all but ground against her trying to prompt her, to kindle the fire within her. He might as well have been kissing a statue. It hurt. It irritated him.

He broke off and glared at her. Of course she denied him. She was his own personal limbo, somewhere between heaven and hell.

"I said no." She said as he broke it off, arms boxing her in.

"You're fighting what has to be" He snarled, furious.

Sakura's green eyes dulled as silent tears made their way across her cheeks. Everything she had with Sasuke was always bittersweet. She would have died for his attention only years before. Everything with Sasuke was pain, always pain. She loved Sasuke. She loved to torture herself over Sasuke. She would always love Sasuke, she supposed with grim disillusion. But he wasn't Naruto. They were night and day. And she owed Naruto so much, for changing her. Naruto had picked up the pieces Sasuke had trampled on and left behind. In her own way she loved them both. But being with Sasuke was drowning in a pool of black.

"No. I'm fighting what could have been" Sakura murmured.

Sasuke glared. "If you think I'm just going to roll over and give up, then guess again. I will fight this, Sakura, even if you wont."

"There's nothing to fight. I'm dating Naruto"

"I can be patient, Sakura. I waited years for revenge. We're meant to be. You and Dobe are no more than a fling, a passing fancy."

"It's over, Sasuke. It's been over" She reproached.

"It will never be over." He told her with finality. "and I wont fight fair anymore"

"What do you mean?" Sakura asked. "Sasuke?" He was gone, disappeared into the snow storm.


	2. Chapter 2

AN: I can't be held responsible, really. After all I'm didn't create Naruto even though I wreak angsty havoc upon kishimoto's characters. It's all his fault. Yes that's precisely correct!

Sasuke returned late or early in the morning, depending on how one looked at it. Sharingan eyes flickered onto the dying fire and sighed throwing the rest of the firewood gathered onto it, in hopes of keep it's dying warmth alive. He glanced at the bright pink hair covered beneath cloak and blanket, still shivering in her sleep. That couldn't bode well for her injury. He knew she wasn't fully healed yet with such an enormous wound though she'd tried to keep that from him.

He stripped down from his anbu gear which was cold and soaked and realized she'd rolled onto his blanket. Figures. She denies him vehemently and then ends up using his gear. He sat by the fire, warming himself and expending some chakra to help speed up the process, when it came to him. She was on his bed roll after all. Smirking, he fixed red eyes on her prone figure. _Just you wait…_

Sakura came to in the morning with the scent of woodsy cinnamon surrounding her. She detected a vague scent of smoke, possibly from gunpowder or a camp fire, she couldn't tell. The smell was at least two days old and had been muted with snowfall. She was so warm and content and she curled against it. Were it not for her wound she might have gone back to sleep. Her abdomen ached and she peeled open one sleep deprived green eye open. And was met with a pale expanse of creamy hardened flesh that was definitely _not_ Tanned and whisker cheeked. Oh gods…Sakura was spooning with a very naked and half covered Sasuke.

A piercing shriek woke him, and Sasuke was up, katana in his hand, nakedness or not as he leapt to the offensive. The shriek rose in pitch and volume and Sasuke winced, realizing his current state of affairs. He sighed and cracked his neck, stretching much to a completely mortified and totally red faced Sakura, who tore her jade eyes off of him and cut off her shriek with a scowl.

"What the hell did you think you were doing" she said, outraged.

"Sleeping, that is until you screamed." He retorted with a snort, wrapping the cloak around him temporarily.

"You know exactly what I mean you perverted-" She started, but those sharingan eyes silenced her with a glance.

"Let me put this in perspective for you. I was cold and wet, and you were sleeping on _my_ bedroll. Would you rather me have froze to death in the cold, Medic?"

"Put some damn clothes on" She ordered, storming out of the cave. Sasuke's smirk refused to disappear as they traveled back to Konoha.

Sakura gasped and wheezed, eye narrowing as her other was closing. She was dizzy and nearly fell, if not for the steady hands supporting her.

"Idiot. You can't push yourself this hard with your wound" He chided, breathe hot on her neck as he stood behind her.

Sakura glared and pushed off of him, and stumbled. She caught the tree branch as he caught her before she fell. His hands steadied her and supported her again.

"Take your hands off me" She said tone soft, but firm.

"No."

"I'll be fine, if I rest for a minute" Sakura retorted.

"I'm not going to let you fall off the tree and draw more attention."

"I'm not going to fall off the tree, and We're ten miles from the border, Sasuke. You should head on" She wheezed.

"Because leaving a wounded captain to fend for herself is always such a good idea" He mocked.

She said nothing, eyes closed in exertion as she rested.

"We'd get there quicker if you let me carry you." He prompted, smirk sliding across his face.

"Absolutely not"

"Regardless, you're going to have to head to the hospital upon our arrival" Sasuke said with a nonchalant shrug.

"No" Sakura's pink brows furrowed.

"I'm liable to report any and all medical needs of my team to the medical staff Taishou, including yours." Sasuke told her.

"Damn it Sasuke, I _am_ a medic"

"No, you're an anbu captain and your chakra is dangerously low. Don't think I couldn't sense you patching up your wound all this morning" Sasuke told her.

Sakura hated him in that moment. He was being deliberately difficult.

"And if I let you carry me" She asked wincing as she resorted to such cheap tactics, still she would do almost anything to avoid Shizune's lecture.

"You're still going to the hospital" Sasuke said, red eyes gleaming in predatory amusement as he pushed the blood caked strand of red pink behind her ear. "It would just make the trip more satisfactory." he murmured.

Sakura scowled, swatting his hand away from her cheek and rose darting off towards Konoha. Sasuke grinned and followed suit admiring the view of his Taishou's hastily departing figure.

Naruto could feel them coming, as he watched his team practicing.

"I'll be right back" He said with a whiskered grin to his team. They all exchanged knowing glances. Their sensei tried to hide it but it was clear as day that he and Haruno sensei were definitely more than teammates.

Naruto saw them coming and eyes widened as he took in Sasuke carrying Sakura across his back as she was unconcious. He flash stepped to him.

"Teme.." He said, blue eyes anxious about the precious burden he carried.

"I'll take her to the hospital, Dobe" He said.

Naruto scowled, knowing he needed to stay with his team, anxiety for her safety clear as day. He sighed raking a hand through blonde unruly hair.

"Thank you. I don't know what I would do without you to keep her safe" He said gripping his brother's arm tightly.

Sasuke blinked in acknowledgement, saluted, and vanished.

When Sakura came to, she turned to her side in the uncomfortable hospital bed looking on the bedside. She saw the daisy's in the vase and smiled knowing Naruto must have come by. But by the window she saw the red roses and glowered at them. Damn him. She scowled, and then looked in front of her. Sharingan pierced her with a look of prideful amusement.

"I hate you" She spat.

"I don't regret keeping you safe. _He _asked me to, if you'll remember. I don't break my promises anymore" Sasuke retorted, taking her hand and kissing it.

Sakura yanked her hand away, wincing as the iv stuck up in her arm moved.

"Try not to hurt yourself more, Taishou" he said, taking a seat in the hospital chair, crossing his arms as he sat.

Shaaa…this was ridiculous, she thought folding her arms against her chest huffly. She was in such a mess.

"SAKURA CHAN!" Naruto burst through the door bearing more daisy's as he wheezed. He launched himself at her and Sakura gasped as he impacted. She clenched her jaw against the pain and tried to fight back the tears of pain and of joy at being back in his arms.

"You're hurting her, Dobe" Sasuke remarked.

"AYE!" Naruto meeped, stepping backwards, leaving a pouting Sakura who sniffled. He kissed her swiftly and Sakura wrapped her arms around him, tasting the ramen and sighing in pleasure at the familiarity of Naruto. Green eyes darted to Sasuke who met her look dead on with a predatory glare.

She broke off the contact and gripped his hand, interlacing it in hers. "How is your team?" she asked.

Naruto went off on the tale of their progress, while Sakura proceeded to put her chakra to good use and heal the rest of her abdomen wound. She sighed in relief as the pain receded, broken tissue closing up. She sat up and pulled the i.v. out of her arm. She glanced down. Irritated they put her in a medical gown, she scowled fiercely.

"I brought your clothes" Sasuke said, tossing a tan knapsack to her.

Sakura eyed the bag with distaste. She didn't want anything from the stoic Uchiha.

"If you get changed, then we can go out" He said, hope shinning in his eyes. It had been three weeks since she'd been home and longer since they'd had anything remotely forming a date. Sakura sighed. "Out" She motioned with her thumb.

Naruto headed outside, giving her his thousand watt grin. She couldn't help but smile back. He was such a loveable idiot sometimes. She opened the pack, pulling out her vest and shorts and skirt. Sasuke sat there, hands folded across his arms, with a dark grin.

"Out" She repeated, eyes narrowing at him.

"I thought it was only fair. You've seen me naked."

"That's not funny, Sasuke"

"I figured you could return the favor." He smirked.

Jade eyes narrowed to slits. "Unless you want to go flying out that window and into the hospital room next to me, I suggest you leave. Now"

"You're welcome. But you'll thank me later" Sasuke said, with promise.

Sakura glared balefully as he left. She changed quickly, slipping on her ninja boots and feeling ten thousand times better in her regular clothes than her anbu uniform. Apparently the other staff had cleaned and soaped her down because the blood was out of her hair and her skin wasn't covered with blood and dirt. She'd have to thank them for that later as she wouldn't need to shower before going. Smiling wide as she opened the door, she launched the tan bag at Sasuke's face, and glomped her man.

He grinned, amused at her playful antics and she kissed him again, happy that she would have some time to spend with him and her, finally alone.

Sasuke coughed.

Naruto broke off the kiss, flashing her the smile that crumbled any resolve she had left, and he took her hand, interlacing his calloused fingers in her own.

"Ready?" He asked her.

"Absolutely" She beamed. Until he looped his arm around Sasuke's.

"Naruto?" She breathed, eyes wide and alarmed.

"We're making dinner tonight, Sakura chan! It's been a while since team seven got together" He beamed.

Sakura scowled, shooting Sasuke a dirty look ,who merely smirked. So this was what he had meant, the bastard! _SHANNARO!_ Inner Sakura snarled.

Sakura scowled angrily, stirring the impromptu soup she had been forced to make while Sai looked questioningly at his captain at he cut up the onion. Kakashi sensei had said something about rescuing a cat, which really meant he wasn't coming.

"Taishou-Hag?" He questioned. "You mad at dickless, or at fake?"

"Both" Sakura scowled to her vice captain as she stirred hastily while he poured in the onions. The two sat, watching T.V. and talking about anything and everything while Sakura fumed.

"Ah." Sai said. "Then I think I will retire for the evening" He said.

"What, No, Sai don't go" Sakura pleaded, grabbing his arm.

He disappeared with Ninja smoke and Sakura cursed.

"Need help in there, Sakura chan" Naruto finally offered seeing as how Sai abandoned her.

"Let me do it" Sasuke insisted. "You've worked with your team all day" He said.

Sakura turned her back on the both of them, fist clenched.

"Thanks Teme." Naruto replied, drinking his beer contentedly watching the T.V.

Sasuke picked up where Sai had left off cutting up the miscellaneous vegetables on the counter. Sakura choose to ignore him as the time ticked away. She was lost in thoughts of team seven through every stage they had gone through. When she finally was pulled out of her thoughts, she realized the soup was simmering with all the cut vegetables in it, and that Naruto was asleep and snoring contentedly.

"You might have burned it" Sasuke turned the heat down on her stove, and she flinched as she realized he was right behind her, one arm stopping her stirring, the other arm on top of her as he turned the heat down.

"Naruto is here" Sakura practically hissed through clenched teeth.

"What do I care?" He said, lips touching her neck.

"If you don't stop, I-" She faltered, when he turned her head, kissing her muffled protests.

"You'll what?" He challenged.

"Stop it" She glared, as Naruto shifted on the couch, snores dissipating for a second before coming back with absolute force.

"Deep down, buried beneath that layer of disdain, you like it" Sasuke told her, hand on her chin forcing those green eyes to look at him.

"I have never hated you more" Sakura said vehemently.

"You'll still remember this tonight. The forbidden is all the more tempting." He replied evenly with a smirk giving her a last kiss before leaving.

"Have an evening with Dobe, on me. It won't matter" He told her slamming her door behind him.

Naruto woke up, scratching his head.

"Teme?...Sakura Chan?" He didn't know why she was crying, or curled up against him with a grip that refused to let go, but he stroked her hair kissing away the tears and promising to protect her always. She only cried more.


	3. Chapter 3

AN: Damn it, how did I ever fall into a cannon pairing. Ugh…serves me right. At least the Sasu/Saku fanart is pretty. This is such a dark and angsty fic if you haven't figured that part out yet. Be ye warned.

Sai dodged her taijutsu combos nimbly, round house kicking her as she went skidding across the training field, before her hand found purchase on the ground, dragging it to stop her flight.

"You're distracted Taishou-Hag" He told her. "Is it Dickless or Fake? They're the only two who ever want to get into your pants"

Sakura cracked her knuckles, rubbing her bleeding chin and green eyes narrowed.

She flash stepped and suddenly the battle went up a notch as Sai was forced to use chakra to protect and deflect her own chakra enhanced blows. She sent him tumbling after ten minutes, taking deep rattling breathes, her eye swollen from a glancing blow as she felt a certain set of eyes on her. Uchiha Sasuke sat in the cherry blossom tree, watching their spar. He smirked as he knew he had caught her eyes and leapt from the tree landing deftly onto the training grounds in a crouch.

"I'll let you talk with Fake on the subject, Taishou-Hag" Sai said with a smile disappearing. Sakura half growled at her subordinate as she caught her breathe.

"What do you want?" She asked.

"Spar with me" He implored her, Sharingan eyes whirling with his small smile.

She turned jade daggered eyes to look back at him "No."

"Why not?" He said, gloved Anbu hands on her shoulders as he murmured it into her ear.

"Don't touch me" She snarled turning with lightning reflexes and punching him with chakra, sending him skidding across the court.

He had been surprised by her boldness though her shouldn't have been. He had been pushing her recently and so of course she would respond with violence. He caught himself before he could disgracefully eat it, face first and leapt to the offensive, katana flashing. He smirked. He was getting to her.

Sakura's eyes widened as Sasuke lept to the offensive. had no choice but to bring her sword up. The look in his eyes was predatory again and it scared her.

"See this wasn't so hard" He said slashing, as she parried, and leapt up and backwards, retreating into a defensive crouch, sword raised.

"I don't want to do this" She said, throwing her sword to the side as she turned her back on him.

"Don't be like that" Sasuke said, sheathing his sword as he jogged after her.

"Like what, Sasuke? Like you're an asshole or a traito-" the words died on her lips as she felt his sword coming at her.

She tumbled to the side, grabbing her own sword and barely parried the next blow, arms straining.

"You were going to say Traitor, weren't you, Sakura?" Sasuke snarled as he pushed her back.

Sakura's eyes widened and she was forced back from his slicing blow. Blinking back the sweat in her eyes she realized she was far too close to the wall for her comfort. Jade eyes crystallized and narrowed as she crouched in her defensive stance.

"That's what you did, Sasuke. You betrayed me. You betrayed your best friend. And you're doing it again" She provoked.

"No. I'm not" and he disappeared.

Sakura's heart leapt in her chest as she barely brought the sword up in time to keep him at bay as he launched blindingly fast at her. His sword and hers whirled an intricate deadly dance of parries and thrusts, tumbling and jumping and twirling in their fury. When she tried to push left, he pushed right when she launched herself forward he would force her back. She couldn't get around him, much to her discontented fury.

"You were _mine_ before he touched you" He said, and Sakura's back hit the wall, pinned by him.

She glared her fury at the man she loved, the man she hated.

"And you know it" He said throwing his sword aside, as he kissed her hard.

Sakura gasped, startled by the wave of emotion that came with his mouth pressed against hers and clenched her fist. She would wipe that sick grin off his face if she had to do it herself. He caught her grip and kissed her knuckles. Sakura snarled and launched taijutsu at him all the while those damn Sharingan regarding her intently.

"Foolish and impulsive as always. You always were weak in Taijutsu, _Sakura_" She hated the way her name slid off his lips because the dark twisted part of her _liked_ it.

Sakura recoiled. "Things change, Sasuke _Kun_" She countered darkly, slamming the court with the ball of her foot as he backed up, but she was there behind him stopping him from retreating, smart kicks hid what she was really after and he saw it. He blocked the kick she'd aimed towards his groin but in doing so he'd turned his back on her.

He turned, smirking, before he felt her knuckles graze his skin. Substitution jutsu. Clever. He hadn't counted on her making a clone before Sai had left. His cheekbone broke instantly face throbbing, but he wouldn't be beaten like this. No letting her win would be too much. And so his foot lashed out, tripping her as she hadn't planted her feet well enough (her footwork had always been lacking even if she'd improved) and he pinned her to the ground.

"Get off of me" She snarled, struggling against his hands holding her wrists.

"No" He said simply, as he straddled her to keep her down.

"So help me, Sasuke if you don't get off of me this instant-"

"Is there a problem?"

Sasuke was up and off of her in milliseconds, helping her to her feet, and brushing the dirt off her back as he clapped her shoulder.

"We'll finish this later" He promised, walking off nonchalantly as he regarded the Hyuuga prodigy with a smirk.

Sakura trembled from his touch, from their fight, and swallowed the sob she felt.

"Haruno san?" Neji asked her, steadying her with his hands.

She swatted the touch instantly, and Neji's eyes widened, startled by her defensive act. Jade eyes cracked and broke, tears filling them.

"I-I'm sorry-"

"Sakura" Neji said giving her a no nonsense tone. "What's the matter?" Neji asked, seeing her shaking form.

"I-I'll be alright." She told him, giving him a weak smile.

"You're a terrible liar. What's going on between you and the Uchiha?" Neji asked, pearlescent eyes narrowing in the direction Sasuke had taken off.

"Nothing. I-" Sakura replied hastily

"Did he do…something to you?" Neji frowned lacking the want to use the words he felt might have occurred at the interaction between the two. He didn't want to assume something along that line… had happened between them but… Sasuke was a strange sort of person, especially after he had returned.

"Neji!" Sakura scowled, impatient. "I'm perfectly fine. Things got a little heated during our spar is all." She replied.

Pearlescent pupil-less orbs searched her green eyes. "It didn't look that way, Sakura." He prompted. "You can be honest with me."

Sakura sighed, defeated. She desperately needed a friend right now, but she couldn't tell Naruto. She needed someone who wasn't partial, someone who would give her the best advise not the advise she wanted to hear. Ino would break Sasuke's face off, if she told her. Sai would laugh at her. The rest would probably just report him to the Hokage and that wasn't what she needed right now. She loved her Shishou, but Tsunade would not overlook this.

Neji looked at her, waiting for some sort of explanation. Sakura crumbled, after holding all of it in for the past two days, she was falling apart at the seams. So she decided to trust Neji.

"I don't know what to do" she murmured, sniffling tears.

Neji's eyebrows lifted. "Tell me about it" He said coaxingly, sitting her down on a bench. And Sakura ended up telling him the entire tale, while her tears fell. Neji handed her a handkerchief during the tale which she dabbed her eyes and blew into at occasions during her tale.

"So you see. I can't tell Naruto" She sniffled. "He's his best friend. But he won't give up. This is such a mess" She said, burying her face in her hands.

"You wont like what I have to say" He told her gently.

"I know. I probably need to hear it, though" She replied, fixing red rimmed green eyes on him with a weak smile.

"You need to tell him." Neji said with finality. "He deserves to hear the truth from you"

"The problem is that I can't get away from Sasuke to tell him." She replied.

"Is that all?" he scoffed.

Sakura winced.

"You don't understand, he's been..following me, it seems."

"I can solve that. How would you and Naruto like to be special guests at the Hyuuga residence tonight?" He said with a smile.

"Neji? You could do that?" She asked, eyes glowing in hope.

Sakura beamed, reassuring Neji of her seriousness to come clean about her encounters with the Uchiha to Naruto. It made him feel better, as Naruto was one of his good friends. Looking down on her bright face, he was startled to realize that she was too.

He nodded. "Easily. Hiashi sama enjoys your company since you healed Hanabi last spring, and I'm sure Hinata sama would also appreciate the feminine company." He said.

Sakura launched herself into his arms, hugging him. "You're the best"

"Nothing less from your best patient" He told her with a grin.

"No, you're a handful in the hospital…but you are my favorite" She said with a bright smile.

…………………………………………….

Naruto looked at the brush helplessly as he considered his wet hair. He felt the familiar chakra signature of his best friend in the window seal before he saw him.

"Dobe." Sasuke greeted

"Teme." He acknowledged, brow furrowing as he looked at himself in the mirror.

"Did Sai finally kick your ass?" He motioned at the bruise.

"Chee. As if that freak could ever manage to touch me" Sasuke retorted.

"Then who did?" Naruto posed.

"It's not important. Why's a dobe like you getting dressed up?"

Naruto only grinned.

"Taking Sakura out on a date?" He wondered, after all Naruto hardly ever got dressed up.

"Something like that" Naruto replied, trying to do something with his hair.

"Where?" Sasuke prompted, curious.

Naruto chuckled. "You'll never believe it. The Hyuuga clan invited us both to stay the night. Neji and Hinata insisted since we both have been on alternating missions and haven't been able to get together lately. They wanted to spend extra time. Apparently the girls are having a sleep over" He said, blue eyes beaming.

"The Hyuuga compound?" Sasuke asked, eyebrows widening.

"Weird, I know. But Sakura Chan and Neji have been friends since she made Anbu. She said he'd personally invited us and didn't have the heart to turn either him or Hinata down. Besides I like Neji." Naruto replied.

"Aah. Comb your hair down, Dobe." Sasuke said helpfully, though his thoughts were far from his Dobe friend and his dressing problems.

No, his thoughts centered on one bright petal haired kunoichi and the suspicions he harbored on this particular problem. Just what game was she playing here? She'd obviously told the Hyuuga her dilemma and wanted _him_ out of the picture. It hurt. It irritated him.

"I can't wait to see Sakura Chan all dressed up" Naruto confessed, eyes gleaming. "I hope she's going to get dressed up" He frowned. "I imagine she's aware it's a formal event" he sighed wistfully towel drying his hair.

Sasuke felt like he'd been kicked in the gut. Naruto had been crazy about Sakura for years, since they were kids. But then again so had he…he just hadn't been able to communicate it as loudly or boisterously. But Sakura was supposed to be his. He knew this. He knew all of it….but his resolve crumbled from Naruto's genuine look. He knew. He knew and he hated it. He couldn't do this. Naruto was his best friend.

"I've got some things to take care of" Sasuke said.

"Later, Teme" Naruto waved, as his best friend disappeared.

………………………………………..

Sakura placed the blue hair comb in her hair, pulling back the portion of her bangs that would hang in her face as she finished, eyeing her handiwork in the mirror. She wore a light blue kimono with a pink obi and a gold obijime. Her makeup was done tastefully the blue rimming her eyes making the green stand out. She smiled, demure soft pink lips until she saw his outline in the mirror behind her and turned, senbon in hand as she glared.

He held up his hands in the sign of surrender and she lowered her senbon.

"What are you doing here?" She asked, throwing things hastily in her silk bag for this evening.

"You look…" He paused. "Lovely" he tilted his head to side, as he took in her appearance.

"I asked you a question" She snapped.

"You told him?" He prompted.

"What do you think?" She whirled, knocking straight into him.

He grabbed her wrist, and backed her up into the wall. Jade eyes were flaming in her rage until she looked into his eyes. His touch wasn't painful and overbearing by light, leaving room for her to break his hold. Regretful coal black met her fury with a look that said more than any words he could ever offer would or possibly could. The flame in Sakura's eyes snuffed out at that tender vulnerable look, his cheek black and blue and still swollen. Sakura choked on that look and looked at her geta, swallowing.

Calloused hands gently traced his cheek. He winced in pain, but couldn't help but shudder in pleasure at her touch, and then felt the cooling relief of her chakra flowing into him, healing him. He sighed and leaned into that tender touch, hands unconsciously finding her own, rubbing light, tender circles on the wrists that encircled his face. Sakura felt the tears, and she inhaled sharply. She wanted to touch him, gods she wanted to and knew beyond a shadow of a doubt that she couldn't…she shouldn't….

She gave into impulse and swept her thumb delicately across the healed cheek. Charcoal eyes flashed open, startled at the affectionate touch, and he eyed her hesitantly, desire blooming in those slowly fading charcoal to Sharingan eyes. She couldn't tear her eyes away from that startled gaze. She took a sharp breath at the open ended look on his face, and those eyes turned predatory, as he slammed his lips on hers.

She gasped into the kiss, arms wrapping around his neck as her defense, her reason all logical thought left her. She ran her fingers through the nape of hair, drawing him closer, letting herself go, letting everything that held her back go. She could never fight him, on or off the battlefield. He groaned into the kiss as he felt her tongue sweep slowly alongside of his. Feral sharingan eyes glanced into hers, before he grew restless pinning her against the wall as his mouth amply had it's way with her.

She closed her eyes, lost in the pleasure of his kiss, his touch. And when she closed her eyes, alone in the darkness lost in those pleasurable sensations, she saw them. She saw those blue eyes, brighter than any summer sky, and she broke off the kiss, pushing him back with chakra enhanced strength and stumbled away as she choked on a sob.

"Wait! Don't-" He pleaded, arms wrapping around her from behind.

"Let me go, Sasuke" She ground out, trying to hold her tears. She'd cried too many over this man to waste more.

"Please, Sakura-" Sasuke gasped.

"NO!" She screamed it, trying to fight the grip as her eyes blurred by tears.

"I'm sorry!" He strangled out. "I'm sorry! I didn't come here for that." He pleaded.

"I came here to apologize. I went to go see Dobe before I came …and I saw the way he looked… when he talked about you. He's my best friend…you're my best friend though we haven't acted like it…and I'm a lousy excuse for a sapient being. I didn't mean for that…this to happen. I didn't mean to hurt you. I never meant to do any of this to hurt you. Please, Sakura" He strangled out.

Sakura's eyes filled with tears. "Sasuke…I can't do this…I love him." As she crumpled into his touch.

"I know." His remorseful tone, caused the tears to spill from her cheeks. She cursed her weakness.

"I know" He repeated, painfully. "That's why I came to apologize."

"I'm going to tell him tonight." Sakura said, resolved as she hung her head, hand on her silk pouch.

Sasuke swallowed and closed his eyes against the familiar pain he felt threatening to wash over him. Clearing his voice, summoning his gumption he dared to ask; he needed to know, even if the knowledge would destroy him.

"Tell him what?" Sasuke asked finally when the silence was too much to bear.

Crystallized green eyed him brokenly with a fresh glimmer of tears in them and he felt like he'd been punched in the gut again. He had _caused_ that look. He felt sick.

"I don't know." She replied, wiping her tears, taking a deep breath and walking out the door.

He winced as the door shut, and knew that she was gone for good this time.

…………………………………………..

Naruto was nervous, probably the reason he didn't notice Sakura's nerves during the course of dinner as they made small talk with the Hyuuga clan.

"Are dinners always this…formal?" Sakura whispered to Hinata, nervously.

Hinata smiled, looking absolutely serene in her purple kimono with her orange obi. Her hair was done up elegantly with chopsticks and she ate her food gingerly and delicately.

"Aah." She nodded. "I guess you could say we're used to it" She said covering her laughter with her hand as she smiled.

Neji eyed Naruto and Sakura who sat up straight both looking stoic and nervous. He would have laughed if it weren't rude. The two were the most ill mannered of the old rookie nine and everyone knew it. He derived a secret pleasure at seeing them attempt to interact in upper society, particularly one Haruno Sakura in her light blue Kimono with Gold obi and silver obi jime. Hinata caught his glance and smiled.

Feeling the slightest bit tense, Hinata, who sat between Naruto and Sakura leaned over and whispered to Naruto.

"Erm…Na-Naruto Kun" She said fighting the stammer she felt returning. Steeling herself, nails biting into the pads of her hands she forced it out.

"You look handsome, this evening" She said, cheeks flaming as she averted her pale irises.

Naruto beamed. "Thanks! You look great too, Dattebayo" He smiled scratching behind his head. "Doesn't she, Sakura chan?"

Sakura eyed the pale eyed Hyuuga with an envious glance as her boyfriend admired her. Hinata filled out her kimono and managed to look elegant like she belonged in it. She moved with the grace of someone born with class. Sakura looked nice in her kimono but really, it only looked like Haruno Sakura in a kimono, trying to dress up who she was, who she had become. Then again, Hinata wasn't half the kunoichi she was though the girl was certainly working on it. She was ninja and that should have been enough. Sighing, Sakura nodded.

"You look lovely, Hinata chan" Sakura admitted with a genuine smile.

"Thank you, Sakura senpai. Blue is a lovely shade for your skin and hair." She complimented formally, though she smiled and winked at Sakura through formalities.

Hiashi briefly talked with each of them asking Sakura about how her missions and hospital patients were, thanking her for healing Hanabi that past spring and for bringing Hinata back safely with the other Anbu. Hanabi perked up as she eyed Sakura and also formally nodded her thanks. The girl was growing by leaps and bounds, already Neji had taken over her training. Hinata flushed, but Sakura winked back at her, a sure sign of the Hyuuga's improvement.

Hiashi turned to Naruto with a small smile asking questions regarding his team. Naruto launched into a passionate tale of his team, pride bursting from the seams in his eyes through his speach. Hiashi smiled at the whisker cheeked jounin and nodded approvingly. Finally after dialoging with each and every one of his dinner guests and serving the several courses, Hiashi dismissed them inviting them to look at the gardens or take tea in the other room with him. Neji offered his arm to Sakura and Hinata offered hers to Naruto as they led them out of the dinner hall.

"Hinata sama wanted to train tonight, so we will leave you here. The gardens are lovely in the evening. You can find your way to your quarters from here?" Neji asked.

Both nodded, though Sakura was sure she would have to lead Naruto back to his quarters through the halls.

"I wanted to see the gardens, anyways" Sakura said, looping her arm through Naruto's as they walked towards them.

"The moon is so bright tonight" Sakura commented, leaning her head on his arm.

"Mmm. You look great, Sakura Chan" He told her, eyes softening as he looked down on her.

She blushed. "Thank you. I'm no Hyuuga heiress but I suppose I'll do, ne?"

Naruto took her chin beneath his hand and delicately lifted so she was looking into his eyes.

"You've always been the most beautiful woman I've ever seen" He told her kissing her softly.

Sakura clung to his haori, desperately needing the contact.

"You're all I ever see, Dattebayo" He told her, tucking her pink strands behind her ear. He led them to the center of the gardens, and Sakura had a seat ushering for him to do so as well.

"Naruto. I need to talk to you" Sakura said, feeling the pit in her stomach.

"About what?" He replied, taking a seat. She grabbed his hand gripping it for strength. Gods she had to tell him.

"It's about Sasuke." She said.

"Teme? What about him, Sakura chan?" Naruto asked with confusion.

"Naruto…I-" she closed her eyes. "I love him"

"Well duh." He replied.

Sakura froze. "N-Naruto-"

"I could have told you that" He said, with a chuckle. "You were in love with him all through out our child hood and into your teens. I know all of that, Sakura Chan. It's all in the past."

"Naruto, you don't-" Sakura interrupted and he placed a finger on her lips.

"Do you love me, Sakura Chan?" Naruto asked eyes sparkling mischievously.

"You know I love you, you idiot, but there's something-" She protested

"If you love me, here and now, then it's all in the past." Naruto replied.

"Damn it, Naruto…" Sakura sniffled. "You don't understand at all, you baka" Then both sensed it.

A Hyuuga Nin landed in the center of the garden and both Naruto and Sakura were armed, and crouched, Naruto summoning his rasengan shuriken, and Sakura the chakra to her fists, as he pushed Sakura behind him. She scowled at him, irritated that he was still trying to protect her after all the years.

"Forgive me, Uzumaki san, Haruno san, but Hiashi sama requests that you return to the main house." The Hyuuga bowed, gesturing for them to follow.

Naruto dropped the jutsu, as Sakura's fists stopped glowing, but neither sheathed their kunai as they make their way back to the house.

"Did something happen?"

"I am not at leisure to say, forgive me" He replied.

Sakura and Naruto exchanged knowing glances. There was an intruder on the Hyuuga compound.

Naruto quirked his eyebrow, suggestively. He wanted to hunt the person down.

Sakura shook her head slightly with a slight glare_. It would be too troublesome. Let the Hyuuga clan deal with their business _Her look said.

Naruto hung his head, giving her a look meaning clearly _You take all the fun out of it_. He half pouted.

Sakura scowled, irritated as she had a good guess at _who_ had infiltrated the Hyuuga compound. She would kill him. Not only had he interrupted her date night with Naruto not once but twice but he'd succeeded in keeping her from telling Naruto the truth. Damn him! _SHANNARO!_


	4. Chapter 4

AN: I'm a horrible little angst fairy spreading my fairy dust of angst all over the Kishimoto world. It's absolutely terrible. Poor Naruto! Alas. But seriously, I haven't had this much fun writing a fight scene in quite some time. Enjoy?

She led Naruto down to his rooms, still irritated.

"You sure you don't want to stay?" He murmured against her ear as he drew her into his arms.

"N-Naruto!" She swatted his head.

"Ow-" He muttered. "We're Guests, here." She practically snarled, fangs bared.

"I was just kidding, Yeesh." He said rubbing his head.

"You never know, you _did_ have Jiraiya as your sensei" Sakura explained.

"You had Kakashi sensei too, and let's face it, Tsunade Baa-chan is a gambling lush." He countered.

She grinned and kissed him. "We both have had lecherous, drunk and gambling sensei's"

"And we've managed to turn out so well" He grinned. "You're _not_ a gambling lush, and I'm a one girl kinda guy… in a committed relationship, no less"

"Good night, baka" Sakura smiled against his lips.

"Sleep well, Sakura chan" He said with a grin.

Sakura made her way down the hall, kunai still unsheathed as she searched for his chakra. As if he would be that careless if he was even here, but it was worth trying. Her frown darkened as she slowly opened the door to her room, eyes darting in the darkness. She hated her lack of movement in the constricting kimono. She entered and flipped on the light switch, eying the room.

Pleased that no one was there, she changed quickly into her usual vest and skirt with shorts get up. These rooms were really too grand. On top of having a master bedroom with a luxurious futon, she had her own bathroom complete with bathtub and a little mini living room and kitchenette. She sat down in her mini living room, kindling the fireplace and picking up a book as she sat in the chair provided.

She heard the rustle sometime later, and kunai launched at the intruder.

"I knew it was you" She said, book gone, and up, as she had two more fists full of kunai between each of her fingers she glared at the raven haired Uchiha.

Sasuke scowled, as he held the kunai she'd launched at him. "You're lucky I had the Sharingan activated."

"No, _you're _lucky" She replied vehemently.

"I couldn't stay away" He said simply. He wasn't sorry for that.

Sakura rolled her eyes.

"Changed out of your kimono" He stated, saying something to fill the space.

"We received a warning from the Hiashi to return to the house. Apparently there was a breech in security" She glared.

"Oh." He replied.

"What are you _doing_ here?" Sakura asked, exasperated.

"I wanted to know…what you said" He said hesitantly.

She paused and sighed clenching her fist as she closed her eyes. "I told him…"

"…Yes?" He said.

"I told him I loved you." She said softly. His ears didn't miss it.

His calloused hands were underneath her chin, looking into her eyes. He suspected falsehood, but her eyes gleamed the truth, her cheeks flushed. Her lips parted for her tongue as she licked her lips and Sasuke was done. Abruptly his lips were on hers, burying his fingers in her hair, pressing her against him. Sakura was startled and nearly fell. His hands steadied her in the midst of their kiss as it became feral, wild and they stumbled. Sakura was lost in his kiss, his touch and he bore her down to the floor, laying her down on the futon before she registered it. His hands dived beneath her vest, those sword calloused hands on her flesh. Sakura gasped at his touch, hating herself for loving every treacherous minute of it.

"Sakura" He murmured against the tender flesh at her neck. _Sky blue eyes…_

"Please" she pleaded. "Stop this" She begged against his lips as her tears fell.

He kissed her senseless and she couldn't help but tangle her hands in his hair, kissing him back while fighting the moan.

"Sasuke kun" She pleaded, though for him to stop or to continue he wasn't sure.

Sasuke saw her tears, felt them and sighed, in remorse, broke their kiss, leaving them both trembling.

"Damn it." She sniffled.

"I know" He muttered, raking a hand through his bangs. "I love you…and I'm sorry" He stated.

"I know" She replied, hugging her knees as she hung her head in shame.

"No. You don't." He replied with feeling.

"I've never felt this way before. Not even while I killed my brother did I ever feel this…this rage." Sasuke said, eyes blaring red.

Sakura's eyes widened in terror and he realized his mistake

"Shit! Just..listen to me, Okay? Please…I feel…I feel this Indignation about you and him…this injustice. I can barely control myself around you, Sakura. Seeing you with him _kills_ me." He said, obviously pained as he expressed it to her, trembling as he did so. He swallowed, painfully.

"I'm not doing this because I want to ruin our team. I don't _want _to hurt you. I don't _want_ to hurt him. But I _can't_ be around you two any longer. I can't stand it." He gasped, fist shaking as he clenched it.

"Why?" She murmured, eyes widening as she took in every word and action that played across his face.

Had he ever been so vulnerable and fragile? So open and bared and unguarded with her before? Never had she seen him like this, and her heart responded to his sincerity, gleaming in her eyes. Sakura had always been very very bad at holding grudges. Sasuke was no exception.

"Because every time you _kiss_ him, every time _you _touch him, when he puts his hands around _your_ waist and holds you _close_…I think that I want to kill him." He practically snarled in heated whispered fury.

Then red eyes broke and cracked and he took his face in his hands.

"But he's my best friend. I could _never_ do that to him. And I wonder what kind of a monster I am for wanting to steal his happiness, the only happiness he's ever known. He never gave up on me all of those years. And I know those thoughts are completely and utterly irrational. I would give everything I have for him and I know he would do the same. But even _knowing_ all of that…I can't _help_ it, I can't control this."

"This?" She murmured dazedly, as she stared at him.

"This." He said kissing her hard as he pinned her to the futon, trying to show her what he lacked with the ability to put in words. He broke off their kiss again as he leaned his forehead against hers.

"Gods Sakura…I want to rip his arm off for touching you…for touching what was mine, what _should_ have been mine. You should have been mine, Sakura. And I can't help it. I'm so jealous I can barely stand it" He said kissing her with the desperation of a drowning man.

Sakura's body responded to the heat, the earnestness, the sheer desperation he had in approaching her. He was being painfully soul bearing-ly honest with her.

"Please say something" He begged, pleaded as he kissed her.

"What do you want me to say?" She trembled.

"Tell me you love me. Tell me something, anything-" He pleaded.

"I love you" She said, green eyes meeting his in her own moment of utter honesty as they broke and cracked. And he felt sick all over again from being the cause of such pain.

She paused on the words, swallowing. "But I can't do this Sasuke. I-I love him. I _won't_ do this to him"

"You love me too" He prompted eyes darkening as he fought to hide the hurt and bitterness.

"I do" she confessed. "But not like this, Sasuke. It's not fair what you're asking me to do. And I can't do this to him" She replied.

And Sasuke swallowed, looking up with bright sharingan eyes.

"Then I will tell him." Sasuke said with a resigned sigh, as he sat up.

"W-what?" Sakura asked startled.

"You want him to know. You couldn't do it, and it wasn't…I shouldn't have left it to you. That wasn't right. It isn't your place to tell him. It was my fault. I will tell him and we will deal with things… as they come." Sasuke said, determined.

"When?" she murmured, shocked.

"Tomorrow morning. We're meeting to spar." He said.

"A-alright. We all need to talk about this." She said.

"We will. I love you." He told her fervently, kissing her again.

"I know. Gods, this is so scary. But I think I love you too" She trembled, kissing him with abandon.

"I should go." He said huskily, red eyes gleaming at her.

She nodded. Sasuke disappeared out of the Hyuuga residence just as silently and stealthily as he had come and Sakura went to bed to try and sleep but sleep wouldn't come. Instead she envisioned sharingan red eyes and the feel of his lips.

They both missed the flash of stormy blue eyes and the quiver of unruly kempt hair and whiskered cheeks as it shook with fury. He padded silently back down the hallway of the Hyuuga compound to his guest room.

……………………………………………….

Dark clouds threatened overhead as Sasuke walked to the training grounds. The Uchiha prodigy stretched his shoulder which was tender from his 'spar' with Sakura the other day. He shouldn't have been surprised at her skill. There was a good reason she was an anbu captain, after all. One couldn't make Anbu simply off of being easily trusted. But he had also severely underestimated her. It seemed she had been holding back for a while now and yesterday had been a sure sign of her improvement. She had been hiding it from him.

Sasuke sighed and saw him sitting there on the rubble from Sakura's blow to the training ground. He flipped a kunai upwards and back, catching it as he waited. Apparently Yamato hadn't been around to fix it yet. It didn't matter.

"Dobe" Sasuke greeted and was shocked to flip backwards as the kunai Naruto had been flipping hit the ground where his foot had been only a moment ago.

"Pick up the kunai, Sasuke-Teme. You're going to need it" Naruto's eyes were narrowed, and red, thin black slits for pupils glaring at him in open hatred as the air began to heat, his red chakra flaming out.

Sasuke tensed. "I didn't come here to fight" He said, bringing his hands up, and forward in visible sight.

"I told you to pick up the kunai" Naruto snarled. And the air exploded. Sasuke's Sharingan eyes took in the sight of over five hundred clones surrounding him.

"Naruto" He said, eyes narrowing. "What is this?" He said eyes darting to the clones around him.

"You know *exactly* what this is Teme." Naruto eyes narrowed. "I TRUSTED YOU!" The clones resounding echo snarled out, forced Sasuke to cover his ears.

"Naruto, you _need_ to calm down. Let's talk about this" Sasuke tensed.

"I HEARD you talk last night" He snarled, as he launched his offensive.

Sasuke unsheathed twin katana and he lanced chidori through the blades making a sweeping motion at the first lines of clones dashing at him. He jumped through the air, narrowly avoiding Naruto's clones wave of weaponry, landing on the balls of his feet as he prepared his next move, crouching.

Sharingan eyes widened as he felt the Rasengan before he saw it, and launched a volley of senbon at the clones preparing it, dissipating them before they could complete the chakra. They vanished with ninja smoke, dissipating as he dodged the various clones attacking him.

He danced a deadly set of taijutsu, katana flashing and arching as the clones poofed out of existence from his slices. He made short work of the clones that tried to approach him but couldn't avoid so many, not when it came to the Kyuubi Vessel who was on par with him. He caught the left side of the punch, grazing the cheek Sakura had hit him, and went tumbling through several rows of clones, dissipating as others leapt to the offensive.

"Aaaaughhhh!" Sasuke cried, anger coursing through him at the frustration of the situation, Katon-ing the area with fire, as he rid himself of the fifty pursuing clones.

"Stop this, Naruto!" Sasuke cried, panting as he held his katana in a defensive crouch as he wiped the blood from his chin.

His tomoe whirled as they looked upon his best friend, hating this, hating what they had become.

"WHY?!" He snarled, his voice booming across the field as the Kyuubi chakra ignited the very air around him, dissipating the rest of the surrounding clones in his fury.

Sasuke winced at the sheer electric charge of the air around him. The concrete training field began to melt beneath the massive density of his chakra as he glowered ethereally red. Shit.

"Naruto, if you don't control your anger, you're going to_ kill_ Some One!" Sasuke shouted in anguish.

"ANSWER ME!" His eyes had lost all traces of his best friend, glowing red, as he saw the elongated ears. Shit.

The Kyuubi was coming out of him, leaking in the waves of crimson over his best friends head and body.

"Damn it, Naruto!" Sasuke strangled out, as he pressed forward, katana flashing with Chidori as he threw it at his best friend.

Naruto's snarl resounded and reverbated, causing Sasuke to flinch. The Kyuubi vessel knocked Chidori aside with a clawed hand and it exploded to the left of them. Sasuke cursed, as he leapt back, the ground too hot to stand there any longer. Naruto's skin hissed, burning as he grew another tail. Sasuke's eyes widened. His best friend was in a crouch, three tails waving above him.

"NARUTO!" Sasuke cried.

He had to get him to listen to him, to stop this madness before he killed someone, or worse got himself killed.

"GUUOOOOOAAAAHHHHHHH" The gut wrenching snarl ripped from Naruto's mouth as he saw the fangs growing in his best friend's mouth.

The fox bearer launched forward and Sasuke leapt forward, determined. He would stop this. He had to stop this. He would save his best friend.

Sasuke threw the Katana lined with chidori blasts as he summoned the oversized shuriken from his wrists. He threw it forward with his rain of senbon. Naruto dodged and spun mid air as he spit a beam of chakra at him straight from his tails and mouth. Sasuke's eyes widened and he braced himself, for to dodge it would surely kill whatever unsuspecting idiot was in it's path behind him.

Sasuke flew through the air, miraculously taking the majority of, and also avoiding the explosion that rocked the ground beneath him from the godlike force of the blow. The Kyuubi container launched forward.

Sasuke took the rain of punches as he cried out, Naruto's skin burning him as he hit. Sasuke grabbed his friend, wincing with pain from the burns along his hands and threw him down to the ground, pushing off his back, as he summoned his Katon Gour Yuuka no jutsu. The giant fire head flew towards the Kyuubi vessel and Naruto met it head on, getting rocketed back, crashing to the floor as he dealt with it. While Sasuke gasped, his body trembling from exertion. He felt the sky crackle above him as he fell, and the rain came. He half smiled as he felt the rain drip on his opened wounds. It would work. It had to.

It hadn't taken long for Naruto to fight off the Katon jutsu, though the Kyuubi vessel bore black across his slowly changing mahogany maroon skin from the burns.

"KIRIN!" Sasuke cried, the thunder crackling as the thunder crashed on the unsuspecting Kyuubi.

Naruto's cry of agony came and the Kyuubi vessel plummeted to the ground, exploding the very court they had been fighting on…or what had been left of it.

Sasuke landed, forming a small crater as he gasped, pain coursing through his entire body, the burns as he headed towards his friend who lay unconscious at his feet. He bent down to check his vitals and Sasuke felt the punch, launching him flying into the concrete, breaking it as he formed another crater. Naruto had used a clone and tunneled beneath the ground. He was on him punching and kicking too fast for the Uchiha prodigy to block with his extensive wounds. Sasuke choked on the blood, spewing from his mouth as Naruto held him by his throat.

"Aah.." Sasuke winced, eye swollen shut as his other sharingan glared at his best friend, blood dribbling down his chin as his hands tried to force Naruto's off his neck. A tremor passed through his body.

"You used too many high leveled jutsu, Sasuke. Your chakra tunnels are recoiling with the amount of power you've channeled through you, aren't they?"

Sasuke hacked up more blood, trying to catch his breath as he wheezed, hanging from his best friends grip.

"Shall we end this, Teme?" Naruto snarled, hand gripping his throat tighter as Sasuke choked.

"NARUTO!" Sakura's chakra infused punch, sent him flying, and broke his hold on Sasuke who hit the floor, as Sakura crouched over him.

"What the _HELL_ do you think you're _doing_?!" Sakura's tear filled cry made him flinch, until he felt the hurt turn to anger.

"What do you mean what the HELL am I doing? How could you…." He said, hanging his head as he the tears spilled.

"How COULD YOU, SAKURA?" He cried, tears pouring from his eyes as he looked from Sakura to Sasuke, fists clenched as he glared at the Sharingan bearer who was trying to stand.

Sakura felt the blow like a physical hit…from his lack of Chan at the ending of her name. Fist clenched as her eyes hardened. She bore the look of broken stormy blue depths as she felt her own tears, trembling.

Sakura choked. "I tried to tell you." She said hanging her head in shame.

"You wouldn't listen to me. You were the one who told me it didn't matter" Sakura snapped, fire burning in those jade eyes.

"I thought it was in the past. I didn't think you were cheating on me with HIM as we spoke. I didn't think you were capable of it." Naruto gasped, tears raining.

"Damn it, Naruto. I didn't seek this out" Sakura told him.

"It was my fault, Naruto…leave Sakura out of this…this is between you and me" Sasuke stated, rising to his feet as he teetered.

"The hell it is" Sakura snarled, turning on Sasuke and glaring at the both of them as she stood between them.

It was then that Sakura realized they had an audience, a host of anbu members surrounding them with a whole flight of medics, putting out the fires surrounding them with water jutsu and healing those who had gotten caught in the crossfire of their rather exponentially large chakra battle.

And she felt the look of sorrowful but resigned hazel eyes as her Shishou appeared. Tsunade landed, eyebrows drawn, as she looked at team seven. Kakashi was next to her, as was Sai and Sakura felt the tears blur her vision.

"How dare you. Both of you." Sakura strangled out.

"Idiots!" She snarled, jade blazing at them. "Are you happy now? You practically leveled Konoha in your fight!" She shook from her rage.

"You could have killed s_omeone_ using jutsu of that level…. on each _other_." She spluttered and they winced, chastised more effectively than any injury or torture could. Both felt the tears in their eyes from her fury, from her pain.

"You injured people." She screamed at them.

Both flinched as she used both fists dragging them by their collars to her face.

"Damn it, I loved you both. How could you _destroy_ what we love?..... over WHAT? A relationship? How petty. How pathetic!" Sakura threw them to the ground and stormed off.

"Sakura-Wait!" Both tried to go after her, and both felt the swift justice of her punch send them flying into the trees.

She flash stepped so that she was standing over them.

"I will not be the reason you destroy the Konoha that _I love, SHANNARO!_ I quit. _Here_ and _now_" Sakura strangled out, tears blinding her, as she turned and walked towards Tsunade.

"Shit…Sakura..Chan don't-" Naruto cried, trying to reach out to her.

"Sakura…please…"Sasuke pleaded.

"No MORE! No LONGER!" She snarled back, as she sobbed, breaking into a sprint as she ran past Tsunade and Kakashi.

Tsunade bowed her head. Kakashi's eye drooped. The surrounding area that had been blown to bits by team sevens fight; that fight was catastrophic. But the impact of Sakura quitting team seven reverberated, shaking and shocking the foundations of the anbu members and other nin present.


	5. Chapter 5

AN: I almost contemplated not writing this chapter. I'm tired of happy endings. But I want to give this a bit more closure first. But be warned there might not be a happy ending.

Sasuke didn't know when Naruto had gone, but when the Sharingan user looked up, he was no where in sight. It really didn't matter anymore. She was right. They had been stupid and he was kicking himself for not realizing that. Of course she would be furious if Konoha was put in danger because of them. Though at the same time too, living had been a rather important priority on his to do list. If he hadn't fought back Naruto would have easily killed him.

He sighed raking a hand through mussed bangs, wincing as his entire body was sore. Miscellaneous wounds lined him and his hands were burnt from the amount and power of chakra he'd channeled through them. Every muscle ached from the strain he'd put on himself and the areas where Naruto had actually managed to touch were deeply bruised, if not severely damaged tissue beneath his epidermis. He couldn't imagine what his chakra coils looked like. He didn't want to.

Tsunade strode towards him, hazel eyes narrowing as she came. Sasuke's sigh echoed. He had never appreciated the Godaime hokage, perhaps a bias from his childhood.

"Hokage sama" he greeted, not quite looking her in the eye. She knelt by him, chakra entering his body as she diagnosed him.

"Let me help you up. You need medical attention" She said golden eyebrows drawn.

The medic in her was speaking. They said nothing else, as she helped him limp towards the group of medic nin waiting. They sat him down on a makeshift bed someone had summoned and the four medic nins went to work. Sasuke stared blankly, not even feeling the healing chakra as he thought of the situation at hand. Sakura had quit…but what did that mean? Was she done with the both of them? And then he _knew_, and the emotional surge summoned Sharingan tomoe that whirled, as his fists clenched.

"Uchiha san, please don't move" one of the medics stammered and Sasuke fixed narrowed Sharingan eyes on her. They flared, tomoe whirling faster as Sasuke's entire body clenched, and he made a move to get up.

"Stop moving, Uchiha" Tsunade ordered with a growl.

Sasuke fixed baleful sharingan on the blonde Godaime and with a sneer of his lips, but stayed put for the moment. He looked down to see his hands, arms, each individual finger bandaged. Half his chest, his collarbone, and neck were wrapped. Currently the medics were cutting away at his pants as they worked on his feet and calves.

"Mind explaining to me just what the _hell_ you were thinking?" She said.

"Chee" Sasuke muttered.

"I'm afraid that's not going to be good enough to put in the report, Sasuke _Kun_." Tsunade replied, crossing her arms.

"Maybe you should ask Dobe about it. I'm sure he would have so much to say" Sasuke said bitingly.

"I'm asking _you_." Tsunade retorted.

"You wouldn't _like _my version" Sasuke shrugged and winced.

A medic nin saw the gesture and went to work on his upper back, cooling chakra filling him as he relaxed.

"Try me" Tsunade said.

"Last night I infiltrated the Hyuuga compound to visit one Haruno Sakura. Upon doing so, I agreed to meet with Dobe this morning on the training grounds to discuss the business of one Haruno Sakura with him. Dobe threatened me and summoned his clones. He was already under the guise of the Kyuubi and I was given no choice but to fight for my life and try to keep him from growing a fourth tail. He nearly killed me, strangling me when your apprentice showed up and you know the rest." Sasuke mock saluted.

"And just how long have you been _sleeping_ with my apprentice" Tsunade practically snarled.

"Since when have the personal relations of _any_ ninja been required in an Anbu report?" Sasuke's eyebrow arched, black eyes blazing in anger at her interference.

"Since idiots like you and the brat start kage level fights in their homeland over said relations." Tsunade returned, angrily.

"I have never had sexual relations with your apprentice, though I won't deny desiring such relations. It was her who tried to tell Naruto the truth the previous night at the Hyuuga compound. I arrived this morning to tell him and to talk about it but he didn't give me the chance. The idiot didn't listen, and apparently overheard us in her room the previous night"

"How careless of you both" She said, fists clenched.

"I realize you're angry, or maybe even disappointed at team seven, but the lack of professionalism-"

"Angry? Disappointed? Oh you really have _No _fathomable idea of the concept, Uchiha." Tsunade spat, hazel eyes burning.

"Then tell me how being passive aggressive with me is helping grasp such an _unfathomable_ concept" Sasuke retorted.

Tsunade's eyes narrowed.

"You have no idea what you have done here. I have to try to find a way to explain to the council why three of my top ninja were fighting each other on Konoha soil, managed to _critically_ injure eleven others, not including those minor injured which we still haven't tallied yet, and destroy the surrounding countryside and training fields in the midst of a fight that _shouldn't_ have happened in the first place." She paused taking a shuddering breath

"_And_ deal with a boy who nearly lost himself to the monster inside him_ again _over his best friend betraying him…again." Tsunade snarled shaking in fury.

"Oh and this time, both of his precious teammates abandoned him, one being the love of his life, the only person who didn't leave him the first time. And the other being his best friend; whom he had given up everything for, to find, in the _first_ place." Tsunade finished, trembling in silent rage.

"You have no _right_ even begin to criticize _ME_ about professionalism, Uchiha." Tsunade spat.

"You'll be lucky if they don't crucify team seven for this. You might have cost Naruto his Hokageship over this little _tirade _and Sakura the position as head of the hospital_. _But I suppose none of these factors even _occurred_ to you as you entered into unwanted relations with _my_ apprentice, did it?" Tsunade accused.

Sasuke glared as he rose to his feet. "Unwanted relations. Chee" He spat, eyes flaming as he met her glare head on. "Don't act like you know me."

"You don't know anything about me. About them. I didn't do this to hurt them, either of them. I didn't mean for any of this to happen" He said arms spread, referring to the surrounding country side.

"But it did, didn't it? And now your team will have to bear the consequences of _your_ costly decisions… again" Tsunade replied.

"I love her" He snarled. "I have ALWAYS loved her, even when I couldn't find the words to say it or the actions to show it."

"And you certainly showed it this time" Tsunade said sarcastically, eyes narrowing, gesturing to the still burning forest that was slowly being put out with water jutsu and restored with earth jutsu.

"This was inevitable. I am sorry that I hurt both of them. Hell, I'm even sorry that my actions could be construed as a betrayal in Konoha's eyes. I'm sorry that you're angry or disappointed in me because your two precious top ninja got hurt in the process." Sasuke gave, feeling like he was being more than gracious in his apology.

"But if you had the _goddamn _psychic powers or foreknowledge or whatever arrogant wisdom you claim to know that this would have happened in the _first_ place then in Kami sama's name _why_ didn't you stop it?" Sasuke challenged.

"Because if I had broken up team seven, it would have crippled all three of you, physically and emotionally." Tsunade replied evenly.

"I trusted your maturity and growth. I believed that all of you, not just Naruto and Sakura, but _you_ could overcome the hatred that you've experienced and be a better person because of it." She said, words firm.

"I believed team seven could overcome anything after you returned. I trusted _you._ And you betrayed it, as you do with all your bonds. You threw it away." Tsunade snapped.

"I've got news for you, Hokage sama. I am _not _Orochimaru. And you can not blame me for the baggage you've carried because of him and your dead team with you through out your reign." Sasuke said, getting up from the makeshift bed and limping away.

"Is that all you're good for Sasuke? Is turning your back on those that care for you? On the teammates, and country that you swore to protect?" Tsunade challenged, choking on tears she hadn't meant to let fall.

Sasuke turned and fixed Sharingan on her with a deadly glare. "You have no right to criticize me for walking away when you did the very same damn thing years before." He told her firmly.

"I am not running away. I have _never _run away. I left the village to seek the power to destroy the mistake paid with by the blood of my family, the mistake that Konoha made in the past. I came back to change the future. There will never again be such a costly mistake again while I live and breathe." He told her fiercely.

"and I will stay and take whatever punishment deemed necessary; whatever punishment_ you_ deem necessary. I will bear the consequences of the entire team if I have to; if you're looking for someone to blame it on then you can go ahead and add it to my list of offenses against the village. But I will not put up with your trash any longer." He said, limping away.

"…." Tsunade stared at his retreating figure.

……………………………………………..

Naruto sat huddled in his old apartment, the apartment that the third had given him. The apartment that had horrible things written on the walls. Holes and scratches and dents from people breaking and entering and breaking some more. Words written across those walls in red, about the kyuubi; about him. Naruto laid within the pile of blankets he had left there, blankets the he had huddled under when he had cried himself to sleep at nights as a toddler.

Dulled blue eyes stared out at the setting sun, and Naruto couldn't seem to muster the energy to get himself up, even to eat his preferred diet of beloved ramen. He had ruined everything. He had nearly killed his best friend, had caused Sakura Chan to leave, had destroyed and hurt the people of Konoha through the Kyuubi; the people he had sworn to protect as a ninja. He had lost control and the Kyuubi had taken over and hurt everything that he had cared about because he was jealous. Gods he was so stupid, a Dobe exactly like Sasuke called him. How could he do that to his family, to his precious people who he loved and would give his very life for?

He heard the window open but it didn't matter. Whoever wanted his worthless life could take it at this point. Naruto sat there on the floor, face pressed into the carpet as he stared into nowhere.

"The landlady might have a problem with you breaking and entering. This isn't your apartment anymore" Sai said.

"The apartment's condemned." Naruto returned flatly, not moving from his spot on the floor.

"You haven't been here for a while, Dickless. A dog returning to his own vomit is as wretched as it is pathetic" Sai replied.

"Tsunade baa chan is busy with Sakura, Kakashi with Teme, and the best they could do for me was you wasn't it? I wasn't even important enough for Neji" He said.

"Nope." Sai replied with a smile. "I volunteered to be the one to kick your ass, Dickless."

"Consider it kicked. Go'way" He murmured, burying himself under the blankets.

"Not even going to give me a good fight then?" Sai questioned, bending down to prod the blanketed fox bearer with his foot.

"Meh.." Naruto's muffled reply resounded, and then Sai really kicked him hard, sending Naruto flying into the wall.

He cried out, rebounding off the wall and falling haphazardly onto the couch as he sat up.

"Goddamnit Sai, I'm gonna kick your pasty ass!" He snarled, summoning his chakra.

"That's more like it, Dickless." Sai grinned recklessly, holding his sword and a paintbrush in hand.

Naruto stopped, pausing, realizing what he was doing. "Damn it.." He said sinking onto the couch.

"Damn. And here I thought I was doing so well" Sai replied, crossing his legs as he sat and regarded his blonde whisker cheeked teammate with a thoughtful look. Naruto said nothing feeling the tears again as his fists clenched on the knees of his pant legs.

"Sakura-Taishou-Hag tells me that when I see that look on someone's face, I'm supposed to ask 'What is bothering you' with a forlorn look on my face to show my concern" Sai said with a smile.

"You're not succeeding and I'm sure as hell not doing what Sakura chan wants Dattebayo." Naruto replied grumpily.

"Then tell me Dickless, why we went to all the trouble for so many years of bringing back fake for you to nearly kill him this morning? Perhaps that might be a more beneficial topic of discussion" Sai supplied, with a grin.

"You wouldn't understand, you pasty assed freak" Naruto snarled.

"So you've looked at my ass before Dickless?"

Naruto spluttered, red faced in his rage. "I know what you're trying to do. I already said you wouldn't get it. So just leave me alone, Okay?" Naruto said, forlorn.

"Wouldn't understand that Sakura-Hag loves the both of you, so much that she was willing to walk away from our team, from everything she loved to keep you from killing each other this morning? Wouldn't understand that she tried to tell you the truth, only for you to turn on your so called brother? Is that what I'm not supposed to understand?" Sai retorted black eyes holding his.

Naruto glared sullenly at the ex anbu root member and averted his gaze.

"I may not be capable of displaying such strong emotions, Dickless, but that does not mean that I am incapable of reading them." Sai replied.

"And in case you've forgotten, You and Fake are not the only ones who will suffer from Sakura-Hag's decision to leave team seven, or have you forgotten me and Kakashi senpai?" He retorted, brow twitching in the only form of anger the painter nin could manage.

"Of course you didn't. You've never considered me a part of team seven. Not really. And as soon as Sasuke came back, you went along with him. Sakura-Hag was the only one who remembered, who bothered." Sai replied.

Naruto grimaced. He had focused on Sasuke when he returned and hadn't really spent a whole like of time with Sai after that happened. He felt the guilt gnaw at him.

"I won't pretend to understand the jealousy or the rage you feel at being supposedly betrayed by Fake and Sakura-Hag. But at the same time I can't condone your stupidity, carelessness, or lack of control as a shinobi. Did you even bother to listen to Fake or Sakura-Hag explain to you exactly what you think happened?" Sai asked.

"No, you destroyed a good portion of Konoha based off of what you thought you knew. Ninja never assume. Grow up and get a hold of yourself, Dickless. And I don't mean to masturbate" Sai poofed out of existence as a volley of kunai hit the wall around him.

And Naruto sighed in defeat and resignation. As much as he _hated_ it, and he did _hate_ it with a loathing that nearly rivaled how he felt about himself for the moment, he knew beyond the shadow of a doubt that….Sai was right….. _Damn_ it.

…………………………………………….

Sakura broke down on the forest floor, pounding her fists into the dirt as she cried. It was a good thing she lacked the control to expend the chakra in her fury; her sorrow or she might have leveled Konoha. Instead she choked on dust, and lay in it, her tears mixing with the dirt as she shook with the sobs. Sakura crumbled, utterly defeated and torn.

She felt his presence but it didn't matter as it only made her cry harder.

"Now you show up. After all these years of focusing on Sasuke, on Naruto's progress…Now you show up…It's a little late for you to care" She murmured, as she looked up at one Hatake Kakashi from her place in the dirt.

Kakashi regarded her with both eyes, gray contrasting with the Sharingan as he had used it to find her.

"I suppose I deserve that. But I'm not here to discuss the past." He told her, smiling the crinkly eyed smile he was so famous for.

"Leave me alone, Kakashi. I don't want to hear it from you." Sakura replied dead panned as she lay in the dirt.

"Funny, as I haven't really said anything to start with." Kakashi said, tone just a bit angry. "How presumptuous of you, Sakura." He replied.

"A ninja's always supposed to look underneath the underneath" Sakura snapped.

"A ninja is also supposed to be in control of their emotions at all times." Kakashi retorted.

"Damn it! I don't want to hear your criticisms right now. You have no right to judge me on what I did, you goddamned pervert!" She snarled, rising to her knees, as she laid her palms flat on the dirt.

And Kakashi did something that startled her. He laughed, long and loud as he dropped to the ground beside her. Sakura crawled backwards, terrified as he drew closer.

And then he laid a gloved hand on top of her head, just like he used to when he was still her sensei. He smiled a genuine smile, closing both of those eyes. And he ruffled her hair. Sakura's eyes widened at the gesture, the one he used when she felt so useless and worthless after practicing jutsu or when she felt like she had failed. Then those eyes narrowed in sorrow and she felt the tears sting her eyes. His gentle touch unleashed the flood of her tears, all the anger and frustration. She sobbed, launching herself into his jounin vest, clinging desperately as she cried her heart out.

"There, There, Sakura Chan" He murmured gently, taking it all in stride as his jounin vest was being thoroughly soaked.

"I've failed, Kakashi sensei" Sakura murmured, hiccupping. "All along, all this time I've tried to be strong, to grow. I'm_ still_ useless. I couldn't stop them. I'm the reason they were fighting. It was all for nothing. All of those years of training, of hoping. All of it for _nothing_!" She cried, eyes closing, as she gasped for breathe.

"It wasn't for nothing." Kakashi corrected. "Your strength kept Naruto, Sai and me going." He said, smiling.

"Your strength brought Sasuke back and defeated sound. When team seven was hurt it was the strength that you had that healed us." He told her.

Sakura shook her head lacking the words to protest what he was saying.

"It was your spirit of determination that echoed and resounded in Naruto's fighting spirit. You have always had the power to save people, Sakura. Your chakra control and precision. Your heart that goes out to comrades, and hurts for those comrades. Your strength saves people, Sakura. It always has. And it always will." Kakashi told her.

Sakura tried to control her trembling and sobbing. She'd finally stopped her sobbing, though her tears still fell in silent streams down her cheeks from her red puffy eyes.

"I can't do this, Kakashi" She confessed. "I don't have the strength to do this. I can't fix it or change it. It's impossible, now."

"What was the first thing I taught you, Sakura?" Kakashi said.

Sakura flinched.

"To see beneath the underneath." Sakura replied, eying the ground.

"You've never been stupid, Sakura. Have you forgotten it, all those years ago?" He said.

Sakura tilted her head, and listened, sniffling as she wiped her tears.

"I will tell you a story."

Sakura glared at him, but he continued.

"When I was on a three man team, I was recently made a jounin and given command. We were at war, then." He said, eyes taking on a lost look as he was buried in his memories of the past.

"One of my teammates was captured and I ordered my other teammate to move out. We had a mission to accomplish and saving her would detract from it. My sensei was entrusting us to complete the mission, and a ninja who doesn't obey the rules is nothing but trash." He quoted.

"I was willing to leave my teammate for the sake of the mission, for what I thought was supposed to be my ultimate objective and prerogative. My comrade told me the one thing that changed my life forever. " Kakashi told her, grey eye saddening, a forlorn smile on his face.

"Which was?" Sakura asked, taking the bait as she waited for him to tell her.

"A ninja who doesn't obey the rules is nothing but trash. This is true… but a ninja that abandons their teammates is _worse_ than trash." Kakashi told her.

Sakura winced, hanging her head.

"He went off to save her ignoring my direct orders. I eventually followed after him when I understood what I was doing. My comrade died that day, saving our other teammate and giving me the sharingan that I have." Kakashi finished softly.

"I don't understand." Sakura gasped.

"If you abandon them now, what will happen to them, Sakura?" Kakashi asked her.

"It doesn't matter! Team seven will go on, as it always has. I have always been the useless one!" She cried.

"Sakura you were the one that kept Sasuke and Naruto from killing each other, who kept Sai and Naruto from killing each other, who now keeps Sasuke and Sai from killing each other. You were the glue that held team seven together for as long as it did."

"Then why did Sasuke leave? If I was so great at my job, then why did I fail?" Sakura retorted, angry because of the hurt that she'd carried for so long.

"Is that what you've done for all these years? Held onto the blame for Sasuke leaving?" Kakashi asked, startled by her pain.

"Sasuke chose to leave on his own, but he would have left years before if you weren't on his team. You were not and still are not responsible for his actions, Sakura. But you know, don't you?" Kakashi prompted.

Sakura had always been intelligent. Surely she could see it, as clear as day?

"Know what?" Sakura asked, confused.

"That you're the reason he returned." Kakashi replied evenly.

"W-what?" Sakura gasped.

"Had it only been Naruto… that would not have been enough to bring him back. Naruto would have given up along the way, and Sasuke would have still thrown off his bond, because it reminded him too much of the good memories of his real brother which had become tainted."

"You're lying…" She murmured, fingernails digging in the dirt as she clenched her teeth.

"Sasuke came back because he remembered you loved him. That you always loved him. That you would always continue to love him. He also came back because Naruto had a similar devotion; a brotherly one. But you two never gave up on him. You never stopped loving. Your love for your comrades kept us, Sakura." Kakashi told her.

"I hate this" She muttered. "It's not fair. He left us. Why the hell can't I?" Sakura strangled out, just this once wanting to be selfish.

"The way of a shinobi is never an easy path to walk, Sakura. And there are few of us who survive long enough to trulylive. Could you walk away now, knowing that the life of a shinobi is so fleeting, that they may die before you can make amends?" He prompted.

"….." Sakura didn't say anything, but averted her gaze, eyeing the dirt.

"Could you live with that? Let me tell you that I have these past years and I can tell you it's a damnable existence. There is nothing I can ever do to make it up to Obito. And a day wont go by that I won't try to." Kakashi told her.

"…."

"Sakura?" Kakashi asked.

"I get it." She gritted her teeth. "I just…need some time to collect myself." She said.

"Atta Girl" He said proudly.

"I'm not one of your ninja dogs" She growled, as she rose shakily to her feet.

"No, you were my precious student, now a precious teammate" He replied with a grin and poofed out of existence.

Sakura hung her head, overcome by the swirl of emotion running through her. She closed her fists and her eyes.

"Thank you…Kakashi sensei." She murmured, and vanished herself.


	6. Chapter 6

AN: I'm really not feeling the happy ending ness, though one of them will definitely not have a happy ending so perhaps my wrath will have sufficed by the time I write the ending. I'll leave this a cliffhanger until I figure out exactly what I'm doing with the next chapter. Sorry folks the plot well has run dry, leaving me with no other options.

Naruto sighed, scratching his head. He had to find Teme. Rising to his feet he opened his door and low and behold the proud Uchiha stood outside of it, his arm raised in a knocking gesture.

"Teme" Naruto spat out.

"Dobe" Sasuke replied, blinking.

"I'm still angry with you." Naruto said, turning his back on him, leaving the door open. Sasuke took the hint.

"I know" He replied, following after him and shutting the door. "I thought this apartment was condemned." He asked.

"It's not like you to make small talk" Naruto replied gruffly, huffing as he had a seat on his couch with his ramen.

"I…" Sasuke paused searching for words.

"Ever the talkative one" Naruto jabbed, slirping.

"This isn't easy." Sasuke replied.

"When is it ever easy, Teme? You messed up. Big time." Naruto retorted with a snort. His focus went back to his ramen.

"I'm sorry." He managed finally.

"You even managed to sound sincere, Teme. I suppose the hokage will give you a gold star or whatever she gives her top anbu members"

"I'm serious" Sasuke replied frankly.

"I know." Naruto replied equally frank.

Sasuke sighed. "I didn't expect you to make this easy on me. I know I don't deserve it." Sasuke rumbled.

"You're damn right you don't deserve it, Teme. You've taken the one thing that meant everything to me."

"You'll still be Hokage, Naruto." Sasuke replied.

"And that's supposed to make me feel better, Teme? What a lovely consolation prize. I suppose that's meant to soothe my ruffled feathers?"

"How about your wounded pride?" Sasuke retorted eyes narrowing.

"Get out." Naruto snarled. "I knew this was impossible. She's the only thing that keeps us together and now the only thing that will drive us apart"

"Shit…here we go again, starting a fight. She'd be beating us senseless if she was here." Sasuke growled, frustrated with himself.

"Good thing she's not" Naruto replied flatly, hurt.

"It was my fault, okay. Whatever anger or rage you've got you better damn well take it out on me, because she's innocent. She tried to avoid me, begged for me to leave her alone. Damn it, she loves you, Naruto."

"Yeah and that makes what you did even worse" Naruto replied.

"We never did what you're thinking. I _never _slept with her, Naruto. Even if you've lost your faith in me you should know better. She would _never _do that to you. The most we did was kiss and I always initiated that. This only happened 2 days ago, Naruto and she and I were both going to tell you this morning and sit down about it."

"Why couldn't you have told me before?" Naruto asked throat hoarse with emotion.

He kept the tears at bay but his whiskered cheeks quivered.

"You told me when you came back that it was fine? You pretended like things were alright between all of us. Gods Sasuke you've lied from the very did you pick now of all times to do this?" He asked, swallowing tightly.

And then Sasuke saw it. The small square box that was lined in velvet that sat on his coffee table.

"Naruto…" Sasuke swallowed painfully. The kyuubi bearer shook his head not wanting to hear it.

"You love her." Naruto said.

"You love her" Sasuke replied, sinking to the floor as he sat, resting his head on his knees. "I had no idea…"

"The hell you didn't. I've been saying I was going to marry her since we were kids." Naruto snarled.

"Naruto, you were three." Sasuke replied with a roll of his eyes

"It doesn't matter. I meant every word" Naruto snapped.

"It _does_ matter. Sakura was in love with me. She's always been in love with me. And…I've always been in love with her" Sasuke replied, heavily.

"W-what?" Naruto asked, eyes wide.

Sasuke nodded.

"When we were Geinin? Chunin?" Naruto asked.

Sasuke nodded. "Then why the hell did you treat her like shit?" Naruto rose to his feet, grasping Sasuke's shirt in his clenched fists as he raised the teme to look at him.

"Because I didn't know how." Sasuke admitted looking Naruto straight in the eyes. Naruto's eyes widened by the depth of sincerity echoing in Sasuke's.

"I couldn't deal with my parents death, the death of my entire clan. I was so angry because I was so torn up I ended up pushing both of you away. I couldn't bear the thought of loosing anybody else. I didn't want to loose anything anymore. I didn't want anything to begin with after that. I wasn't strong enough…" Sasuke said, hanging his head.

Naruto released him, raking hands through his hair frustrated. He knew what he had to do. The knowledge left a bitter aftertaste in his mouth. His heart shattered and Naruto knew. He had given up everything for the man in front of him, would give up everything he amended as he clenched his fists before calmly releasing them.

"She knows?" He asked, eyes startling calm and clear, though dark as a storm.

He nodded. "She knows that I love her. She knows that you love her. She loves us both." Sasuke replied.

"Then there's only one thing left to do" Naruto said with an air of resignation. He looked at Sasuke with forlorn eyes, though he was determined. Sasuke sighed, shaking his head in dissaproval.

"You want her to choose, don't you?" Sasuke asked.

Naruto nodded. "I think she needs to." He replied.

"It'll break her." Sasuke replied.

"Maybe she needs to be broken some" Naruto replied. "Whoever she chooses will take a year long mission." Naruto said.

"Hokage sama will agree?" Sasuke asked eyebrow arched. "What about your team?"

Naruto's jaw clenched. "I suppose you're pretty confident, aren't you?" He replied with a scowl.

"You know I didn't mean it like that" Sasuke said, hurt.

"I know you didn't." Naruto replied. "and to answer your question, I don't know. But if I have to, I will take my team with me to sand for that year." Naruto replied.

Sasuke nodded. "If she chooses you, I will remove myself from Sakura's squad, and see if I can sign on to the hunter nin" Sasuke said.

Naruto nodded. "I think we both need some time alone to think" He replied.

Sasuke nodded. "I'm _sorry_, Naruto." Sasuke repeated as he left.

Naruto sighed. Teme had apologized not once but twice. Surely something had changed in his stone hearted friend.

…………………………………………….

Sakura knelt by his graveside with her single lily. She placed it by the headstone of one Yamato Taichou, and sighed taking a seat in the grass as she stared at the sun and the golden purpled colors fading across the sky. She felt his presence and relaxed closing her eyes in the light breeze as she smiled softly.

Sai landed, walking and taking a seat next to her, elbows resting on his knees as he watched the sunset with her.

"What is it about you and this place, Taishou-Hag?" Sai shook his head disapprovingly, pulling out his sketchbook. "Between you and Kakashi senpai I might as well roll out my bed roll and make camp here"

"It's peaceful. The only place I can get away to think sometimes. Besides I hadn't visited Yamato Taichou in a while." She said, with a sad smile.

"You? _thinking_?" He asked. Sakura swatted him.

"You know… if you had chosen him, you wouldn't have been in this mess in the first place" Sai said, pointing to the grave.

"Thanks, Sai. I'm so glad you approve of my choices in life" Sakura rolled her eyes, though the pout stayed on her lips.

"I'm just saying you could have done better than Dickless or Fake. Yamato Taichou actually had a brain as well as a large penis" Sai replied.

She eyed the headstone with the picture. He had died protecting her from Orochimaru/Kabuto's last spiteful attack. The snake sannin had said he would die inflicting the most damage on team seven he could and dove after Sakura with his dying breathe. Yamato Taichou had stopped him with his very body ensuring that Sakura would come to no harm. Damn it. He was always protecting her until the very end. He had confessed his love for her with his dying breathe. It had ripped Sakura apart.

"If you hadn't been there for me, I wouldn't even be here" She remarked softly, sadly.

Had it not been for Naruto, Kakashi and Sai who had taken routine shifts to 'babysit' her she wouldn't have existed. It was how she and Sai had truly bonded. She had been so ready to give up. It was supremely selfish, but she had cherished those times, as she had never been alone, always in the company of one, or the entire team seven that was left. Granted her small apartment hadn't housed them all well, but it was family in truest sense of the terms, albeit one missing member. Sasuke hadn't returned during those times. He had only met Yamato Taichou once and it was to stab him with his sword whilst under the guise of Orochimaru's tutelage. Sakura scowled as she thought of the dark haired Uchiha.

"Thinking about Fake? Tsk. Tsk. Taishou-Hag. He's troublesome"

"Yes, he is" She agreed eyebrows drawn.

"You know you still have two other members of team seven to go through before you've dated and enamored the entire team. You could choose Kakashi or Me and leave the both of them in the dust. It would almost be worth dating someone so ugly to see the look on Dickless and Fake's faces." He told her with a grin as he got comfortable lying on the grass as he sketched.

"Kakashi is a pervert through and through and we would kill each other first." She said, matter of fact. "Kakashi was my sensei…And you're my co captain. Mixing business and pleasure…That's just wrong" She said with a sigh.

"That's right you only go for your low ranking subordinates" He grinned.

"Shuddup" She growled, knowing Sai was teasing her.

"What? It's certainly easier to control a subordinate, and we all knew Naruto was how they say 'whipped'." Sai grinned.

"Jerk" She muttered, and lay beneath the fading sun next to Sai.

"I'll take it that you're not quitting Team seven then?" Sai asked her.

"No…damn it." Sakura scowled. "Kakashi talked me out of it." She replied sullenly.

"Good, because I wasn't about to stay with Fake and Dickless" Sai replied.

"Sai!" Sakura scowled.

"They're idiots of the highest caliber, Taishou- Hag" Sai replied simply.

"Sai, Team seven is _family_!" She growled. "Besides… And I'm not?" Sakura asked, feeling touched that he had finally said something nice about her

"No, you're my dog ugly Taishou-Hag." Sai replied. "Bastard" Sakura glared.

Sai's eyes caught hers and swept meaningfully towards the forest. Sakura nodded. She wasn't a complete idiot so as not to notice their presence.

Kakashi poofed into existence with his typical "Yo" greeting. He proceeded to bury his face in his Icha Icha. Sakura supposed she should be grateful. At least he had come and bothered to sit with them. Naruto was still hanging back in the trees apparently observing.

"Naruto, stop being creepy and get your ass over here" Sakura scowled.

Naruto knew better than to argue when Sakura had _that _sort of tone. He made his way hesitantly to the group eyes filled with trepidation. In his hand he held a dozen daisy's tied together with string "Sakura chan, I-"

"Don't you dare, Uzumaki Naruto. We both know you're not sorry for what you did. However I know you are sorry that you hurt me _right_?" She asked, pink eye brow arching.

Naruto had opened his mouth only to close it and nod. Sakura nodded in return.

"I'm still mad at you. But…. I won't leave the team for something so petty either." Sakura replied.

"SAKURA CHAN!" Naruto wailed, launching himself at her in a hug as he sniveled. Sakura sighed and petted his blonde hair absently.

"And we still need to talk, the three of us…whenever… _he_ shows up" Sakura replied bristling.

Naruto nodded, eyes sad, but he forced a smile to his face. He handed her the flowers which she thanked him for and set aside lest she want to pick the petals off of them like she had in her youth. She supposed she was too old to play that game any longer. Her situation was not a game. They enjoyed the setting sun and weren't disappointed as the stars winked into existence under the purple night's sky.

"Stupid Teme…never shows up when you need him OW-" Sakura's poke to his stomach halted his interjection of her peaceful state.

They felt his presence. Naruto eyed Sakura wondering how she wanted to approach the situation. Sakura sighed.

"We should head to my house" She said, as she got up dusting the grass and dirt off of her. Naruto followed her as they walked to Sasuke.

"We'll continue this at my house" Sakura told him, eying both him and Naruto as the two took off.


	7. Chapter 7

AN: And low and behold, inspiration Struck. Bah this entire fic has been so ridiculously angsty it's not even funny. And you might be surprised.

Translations for the non Japanese literate

Minna san: Everyone

Arigatou: thank you

Gomen ne: Sorry

"Uzumaki sensei, how much further?" The biggest trouble maker of the newest graduated ninja class asked, groaning as he wiped the sweat from his brow.

His hitae ate hung from his neck, the boy apparently too hot to wear it around his forehead for the sun to catch any longer. His pack towered over him, and he adjusted the straps for the 60th time. _The boy would break those straps before this trip is done,_ Naruto thought with as much as he packed. It would give his team a chance to be creative with their supplies.

Naruto smiled a genuine smile. "We've only been on the road for an hour, Keiichi kun. Sand is quite a bit farther from here" Naruto replied.

They were making decent enough timing. Had he been traveling alone he could have made it to sand late in the evening, if he pushed it. At this rate, he calculated two hard days of travel, possibly three with his rag tag team.

"It's hot, and I'm tired and we haven't done _anything_ interesting" Keiichi complained, shoving his hands behind his head.

"Shut up, Keiichi teme. All you ever do is complain." His other male counterpart of the group, Shingo snapped.

Keiichi of course exploded, and the two exchanged banter and miscellaneous expletives that Naruto pretended he didn't hear. Until he heard the sniffle; her sniffle of his single female student.

"Minna san…" Sako murmured, wiping the tears away from her eyes, frowning as she looked at her arguing teammates, distressed.

Naruto sighed. "Enough. You should remember that Sako chan is sensitive." Naruto rebuked. "Those who-

"Those who abandon their teammates are worse than trash. We _know_ sensei" Shingo and Keiichi replied, rolling their eyes. However, both boys glanced at Sako chan. Sako looked at her teammates heartbroken. Both sighed.

"Gomen ne, Sako chan" Keichi said ruffling her hair.

"Er…Sorry.." Shingo grumbled.

Sako chan launched herself at the gruff shinobi with a giggle as she hugged him.

He flushed, embarrassed and ruffled her hair, pushing her off him. Sako jumped up and kissed Keiichi on the cheek before leaping off with chakra bounding steps.

"Arigatou, Minna san!" Sako chan giggled, beaming as she skipped down the road.

"Yeesh…such a happy kid" Keiichi remarked to Shingo who shrugged.

"Oye…"He sighed in defeat.

"Eh?" Keiichi asked.

"A kid half our size beats us in ninjutsu…"Shingo huffed, and Keiichi echoed it staring wistfully at the girl who bounded ahead of them.

"Sako Chan, a team always sticks together" Naruto reminded her, as she was getting too far ahead.

"Haiii!" Sako replied stopping and saluting him. Naruto couldn't help but smile. She was just so darned adorable. If there was ever someone who could pick Naruto's spirit up when he was down, it was Sako chan.

"A ninja must always be prepared. You should be watching the road." He ordered his team.

"Were you ever ambushed on a mission, sensei?" Keichi retorted, chin jutting out as he crossed his arms.

Naruto nodded. "Ah. Our very first real mission became A ranked and our sensei had to fight off an elite. Even us as students had to fight. If we all hadn't fought, we would have died." Naruto said gravely.

Keichi perked up, eyes searching for signs of enemy nin, as Shingo rolled his eyes.

_Well at least that'll keep him occupied for a while_ Naruto thought, scratching his head as he glanced at the map.

"Uzumaki sensei?" Sako had tugged on the sleeve of his blue shirt.

Naruto set the map aside to see the girl who didn't even reach his waist. Sako was three years younger than the boys. She was a bit young, but her skill was unwarranted. She was a prodigy, after all.

"Yes, Sako chan?" Naruto smiled kindly, ruffling her hair.

"You look sad, Uzumaki sensei. Is it because of Sakura Himei?" Sako asked.

Naruto paused searching for the words. "Yes. And No. I would do anything for the happiness of my teammates." He replied with a smile and a classic good guy pose.

Sako chan's thumb slipped in her mouth by accident and she flushed, embarrassed as she realized what she was doing. She had just turned seven this year. Seven year olds did _not_ suck on their thumbs, she had exclaimed to him emphatically when he'd treated his team to ramen. Naruto pretended he didn't see it, eyes glancing over the map while Sako chan composed herself.

"Did Uzumaki sensei…take us to sand….because of the happiness of his teammates?" Sako chan asked, hesitantly. Shingo and Keiichi perked up, eying their sensei.

Naruto had forgotten how kami cursed observant the girl was.

"Of course not. Not in the way you mean, anyways." Naruto replied, with a thousand watt smile. "There's lots of reasons. First off, I think it's a great training exercise for our team to go out and learn how to set up camp together." Naruto said. _And it will break down the walls between Keiichi and Shingo,_ he thought.

"I've been wanting to visit the Kazekage for a while now. We're personal friends from our chunnin exam you see, but there hasn't been time to really visit. His siblings are also elite jounin and I think you all could learn something from them. Sand is a great place for you all to visit. And the time apart will allow your dear sensei to think, and possibly create some new justu"

"Perverted jutsu…" Shingo muttered.

"OYE! I heard that" Naruto growled. "A-anyways, Sako chan, Keiichi kun, Shingo kun, You will love Sand, Dattebayo." Naruto said, smiling bright.

Keiichi grinned, Sako chan giggled, and even Shingo's lips quirked with a smile at their bumbling beloved sensei.

"Arigatou, Uzumaki sensei" Sako chan said, hugging his leg.

All three children had been orphaned. Keiichi and Shingo's parents had died during the war with sound. Sako chan had been recovered from Orochimaru's lab. Fortunately, she didn't remember any of that. She only remembered being found by Sakura whom she had affectionately deemed Sakura Himei.

Shingo snorted as their sensei talked about sand country. Uzumaki sensei was certainly unconventional, ridiculous and silly at times, but he could relate to them all as he had grown up without a family, as Uchiha- ji sensei had. And Uzumaki sensei loved them, treating them to ramen and even having sleep overs for them at his apartment with his old team seven.

They were a team, the only family they had was each other. And that was alright by them.

…………………………………………………..

Sakura boiled the tea pot as the two had chosen opposing sides of the walls to lean upon as they waited. It seemed like eons later the pot finally whistled and Sakura served the tea, having a seat on the couch, eying the two.

The tense silence was killing her. No one was talking, or even looking at each other. She could hear the clock tick by with it's maddening perfection. Tick, Tock, Tick Tock. Sakura cleared her throat, summoning her courage. It was time to finish this.

"Naruto…I'd like to explain to you what happened…" Sakura began.

"There's no need to, Sakura Chan. Teme already explained it to me. Look. I didn't want to do this to you…but I think you need to just decide already. It's the only way to settle this for sure. We tried to work it out on our own but there were…unsettle able differences." Naruto replied with a glance to Sasuke. "There's no point in putting it off any longer" Naruto said, blue eyes serious.

Sakura was startled. Naruto was never this down to earth, this serious about anything other than ramen. Sakura swallowed.

"You're asking me to choose?" She asked, clarifying though she had known it would come down to this. Yes she had known and thought long and hard on this.

Naruto nodded. "I think you need to." He replied.

Sasuke frowned.

"You don't agree with him?" Sakura asked Sasuke.

"I don't like the way it's going about, No." Sasuke replied.

"There's no other way, Teme…it's not like we're going to have a Rock Lee/Gai sensei style triathalon for her affections, or an arm wrestling match."

"No, you two already had your spar" Sakura said sarcastically.

Naruto grinned. "And I won." He said, winking at Sakura. "Just something to consider"

Sasuke and Sakura both rolled their eyes. "Oye!" Naruto protested as the two shared a smile. He pouted.

"Technically you cheated using Kyuubi chakra" Sasuke retorted. "But think what you'd like" Sasuke said with a smirk.

Naruto ignored the last baited comment.

"Unless you have a better idea Teme, I think it's the only option. We both love you, Sakura chan." Naruto said.

"I don't have a better idea" He said, regretfully, eying Sakura as he crossed his arms. Naruto mimicked the move on the far side of the wall, eying her.

"I don't suppose sharing is an option?" Sakura asked.

"Absolutely NOT" both snapped with the exception of a Dattebayo added to Naruto's hasty retort.

"Yeesh, I was just kidding…" Sakura replied with a sheepish grin.

Sakura closed her eyes. She had been thinking about this for a while so it wasn't like the question had completely taken her by surprise. Sakura had quite a bit of time to really ponder things between the two of her teammates these past few days. She took a deep breathe. "Alright…my decision is…" Sakura said summoning her courage, though it pained her and she knew it would pain _him_.

…………………………………………………….

Kakashi sensei peered through the window, crouched as they waited in the trees.

"Has Sakura-Hag decided yet?" Sai asked.

"Shut up Sai, I think they're…shit…" Kakashi replied.

"What?"

"I missed what she said because you were talking" Kakashi replied sheepishly as he scratched his head.

Sai rolled his eyes. "You're such a liar" Sai snapped knowing Kakashi could read lips.

"Guess you'll be stuck in suspense" Kakashi replied, disappearing before Sai could tackle their ex sensei.

"Damn it. This was stupid Copy's idea in the first place." Sai grumbled. Being outwitted by the perverted jounin was a blow to anyone's pride.

He watched Sasuke walk out, fists clenched and he supposed he had his answer. Sai followed after the broody Uchiha.

……………………………………………………

"Can I have some time to talk to Sakura chan alone, Teme?" Naruto asked him.

Sasuke swallowed and nodded. It didn't matter anymore did it? She'd chosen _him. _Sasuke should have known that she would still choose Naruto. After all Naruto had never abandoned her, had never treated her with anything but the love she so craved. Sasuke had figured himself out too late. He had left, abandoned her and now he had lost her because of his costly decisions. He should've known there would be no forgiveness. No act could ever make up for the hurt he'd caused them.

He left swiftly, not wanting to see their reunion of sorts. Naruto was his brother, but he loved Sakura. Even knowing his best friends would be happy for the rest of their lives couldn't make up for the way his heart was torn open again. He felt betrayed though he had no right to and that only made it hurt worse. The door shut and he vanished into the trees not even sensing Sai's presence.

Naruto sighed and raked a frustrated hand through his blonde hair.

Sakura glanced into his eyes, her own filled with tears as she drew close to him. He backed away.

"We both know this isn't what you wanted" Naruto replied, serious.

"W-what? No, Naruto I made my decision. He was my past, Naruto, and you are my future" Sakura replied smiling in spite of the tears.

"Bullshit" Naruto growled. "You wouldn't be so broken up if this was the right decision. Tell me you aren't loaded with guilt." Naruto snapped.

"….." Sakura said nothing.

"Geez Sakura Chan, wake up and realize your own feelings!" He growled, grabbing her hands.

"Naruto…I- I- can't…I love you…"Sakura choked, tears running down her face.

"I know. I know that you love me in your own way Sakura Chan…. but not as much as him. _Never _as much as him" Naruto replied sadly.

Sakura's eyes widened and broke as she felt the tears flooding down her cheeks. She sunk to her knees and hung her head in shame.

"No" She murmured, denying it vehemently.

"You never could lie to me, Sakura Chan." Naruto replied, tears filling his own eyes. "I don't want you to be with me because you feel like you owe me something, or that you _have_ to be with me. You could never be happy like that. I can't live without your happiness" Naruto replied, thumb brushing the tears that fell away delicately.

"It's so selfish, Naruto. It's not fair. I could be happy with you…" Sakura replied, and she grabbed his shirt, clenching. _I could learn…_

Naruto shook his head sadly, tears falling from his whiskered cheeks. "I would never let you do that, Sakura chan. I could never let you try to become something you're not. I think…I hope you know that" He said, hands running through her silken hair.

"Naruto…No..don't do this. Please….I need you." Sakura hiccupped.

"I leave for sand in the morning with my team. You will go to him and you will tell him the truth." Naruto ordered.

"No!" Sakura snapped.

"Stop being so damn stubborn! You're _not _Tsunade-baa san and I'm not Jiraiya. And Sasuke Teme is _not_ Orochimaru" Naruto snapped.

Sakura flinched. Her shishou had regretted not being with Jiraiya to this very day. He had loved her so much.

"You aren't her. You can't be her now, cant live her mistakes and try to make it right, Sakura. She didn't know her own heart either until it was too late. It's why I can't let you do this" Naruto replied. "You would die slowly day by day being with me."

"You are the only light I have, Naruto!" Sakura cried.

"You are Sasuke's light, and you are the only one that can free him from the shadows. He is your light. You can bring him back, Sakura Chan."

"Are you doing this for him? Because you think it would make him happy?" Sakura demanded.

Naruto sighed. She was really trying, and he supposed he would never forget her for it, though he was leaving to try to.

"I will return a year from now. You've waited for him for _years_, Sakura Chan. I expect you to use the time. I know I will, Dattebayo" Naruto replied.

"Naruto, No!" Sakura protested, pleading.

Naruto kissed her swiftly, achingly. Sakura's heart crashed, splattered, broke into a thousand tiny fragments as she kissed him back fiercely, hands clenching his jounin vest. His kiss spoke of sorrow, of parting. And she knew he was right. And she _hated_ him for it.

"If you leave Uzumaki Naruto, We can _never _be again. I choose you." Sakura replied. "I meant it." She met his gaze fiercely.

Naruto smiled sadly. "I can't tell you how much those words mean to me, Sakura Chan. But I won't let you make the biggest mistake of your life because you can't realize your hearts feelings." Naruto replied.

"Goodbye, Sakura Chan." Naruto bid her, closing the door.

Sakura fell to the floor and wept brokenly because he was right, because he could see right through her. She _hated_ Naruto in that moment, but it was because she hated herself more than anything else.

……………………………………………………

It hadn't taken long for Naruto to find Sasuke. After checking the training grounds, he could have kicked himself for missing the obvious. He was sitting in the Uchiha compound in the room, staring at the blood still stained on the floor, expressionless as his sword rested on his shoulder. He stared into no where, eyes dull, nearly lifeless.

"Teme." Naruto greeted.

"Come to brag, Dobe?" Sasuke asked flatly.

"No, I came to say goodbye." Naruto replied.

Sasuke's eyebrow arched. "If you're joking, Dobe, this isn't funny." Sasuke replied.

"Then it's a good thing I'm not, Dattebayo" Naruto returned evenly.

"I don't understand" Sasuke replied, still suspicious.

"She has always loved you. Even while we were dating, she has loved you. She tried to give you up. But I knew better. I always knew." Naruto replied.

"It was selfish of me. I wanted her to choose me, Teme. I wanted to beat you in something. I wanted her to love me more." Naruto replied.

Sasuke's eyes widened, their long time jealousy of each other making him feel guilty. They had been so petty in their childhood. They still were.

"But it would have destroyed her. And as much as I hate it. As much as I know you don't deserve her….I wont do that to her. I meant it when I promised to protect her. Sakura's happiness is the most important thing to me. She could try to be happy with me. But you were her first love, Sasuke. She could never get that back, no matter how hard she tried to move forward." Naruto replied.

Sasuke felt the tears and he hugged Naruto fiercely, brokenly sobbing.

Naruto's eyes were wet as he returned the hug. And then he pulled Sasuke back and decked him _hard_, sending him flying through the open doors and tumbling into the tree in the Uchiha compound.

Sasuke hit it, dazed. "You had better take care of her, Teme. You had better goddamn love her with _everything_ you've got. And when you fuck it up you better grovel on your damn knees and beg for her back. I mean it, whatever it takes once you have her you never let her go again. You can never walk away from her, and you can never let her walk away from you" Naruto snarled.

Sasuke eyed him. "Why? Why are you doing this?" He asked.

"I'm not doing this for your sake, but hers. You're not worth her…but you better make yourself worth her…you understand?" Naruto quivered, tears streaking down his cheeks.

Sasuke could only nod.

"Naruto…you were always the better man" Sasuke said, finally.

Naruto grinned. "I know." He replied.

"You're leaving tonight?" He asked.

"No, but I have to prep my team and pack."

"Goodbye…Naruto"

"Goodbye Sasuke. Take care of her" He said, and left.

…………………………………………..

Naruto had finally finished stuffing everything into his gear pack. Everything that was important, including his photograph of team seven and his new team was in there. He smiled appreciatively at his handiwork and felt her before he saw her.

"I just want you to know that even though I will never forgive you for what you did….that I love you, and you had better take good care of yourself and your team" Sakura said, stepping through the window as she clenched her fists at him.

Naruto smiled sadly. "I will"

"I mean it, Naruto. You make sure Shingo pulls the stick out of his ass so he doesn't become Sasuke. You make sure Keiichi isn't a retarded pervert. And you hug Sako chan and kiss her goodnight and read her bed time stories every night!" Sakura snarled.

Naruto nodded with a grin. Sakura threw herself at the ramen breathed idiot and hugged him fiercely, crying in his arms.

"I will always love you, Sakura Chan." Naruto told her, kissing her hair. "Just…not right now" He said with a half grin.

Sakura nodded. "The feeling's mutual." She replied as she sniffled.

"Goodbye Sakura Chan. I'll see you in a year" He said. "You'll probably be pregnant by then" He grinned.

"NARUTO!" Sakura screeched.

(AN: Why did I write this chapter the way I did? Because Naru Saku wasn't going down without a damn good fight and I liked the order of read the next chapter for sasu/saku fluff)


	8. Chapter 8

AN: stupid conscience. Ugh. Here's the sasu saku fluff for you. I realize that what I did was tantamount to evil by ending it the way I did and I repent of my sins. Gomen Nasai Minna san. Ps. I'm throwing around the idea of a sequel because I've grown attatched to my little team I created for Naruto. Anyone like Naru/Temari pairings? Let me know if you're interested.

Sakura glared curling from her blanket on the floor. He had no reason to be here and he _knew_ it and she _knew_ it and yet he was still present. She huffed at him. Had he showed up two days ago she would have killed him. Now all that was left of her fury was fierce contempt and stubborn will.

"I locked the doors for a reason." Sakura said flatly. Did he think he could waltz right in here and pretend everything was okay? Hell no…_Shannaro_ Inner Sakura cheered with gusto.

"You forgot the window" Sasuke replied.

"Gee _Sasuke, _maybe that's because normal people try knocking, as opposed to breaking and entering." Sakura snapped.

"If you didn't want visitors, you should have set better traps" He replied with a shrug.

Sakura's eyes narrowed balefully at the brooding Uchiha.

"What are you doing here?" She asked, turning back to her soap opera, reaching for the chocolates she had scattered about the place.

She apparently had camped out in her living room for these past three days. She was surrounded by a pile of used kleanex, and junk food wrappers of all kinds. Apparently Ino had been by with break up supplies and reinforcements after hearing about Naruto's untimely appearance. Sasuke winced. If Ino knew, she might come looking for him next and the Blonde Anbu captain was formidable, particularly with her body technique and scentless tasteless poisons. Fighting the Yamanaka captain would be more annoying than it was worth.

"I asked you a question. I know you're not deaf or stupid. Stop dodging it" Sakura snapped, returning Sasuke's attention to the situation at hand.

"I came to put you in the shower. Pasty face wouldn't stop whining about it, but refused to mollify the situation." Sasuke said nose wrinkling. "You have to bathe sometime, you know."

"The hell you did. I can take care of myself. Why are you here" Sakura scowled.

"I can see that." Sasuke replied sarcastically as he eyed the mess and met her snuffed jade ones.

Sakura blushed, brow furrowed as she scowled fiercly at him, standing up. She wore a camisole and apparently a pair of Naruto's old boxers. Sasuke's lip curled.

"Look, I don't know who you _think _you are Sasuke, but we both know I didn't choose you. So if you're here for some sympathy nookie, or to come parade about, you've got the wrong place and the wrong girl" Sakura said, poking him hard in the chest as she turned heading to her fridge.

"S-sympathy W-what?" Sasuke asked, eying her incredulously. "Did you seriously just _say_ that?" Sasuke asked.

Sakura ignored him and grabbed the carton of ice cream and began dishing it into a bowl.

"I'm not here expecting something from you Sakura. He made me promise to take care of you and you falling apart is definitely not fulfilling my end of the bargain."

"So _now _you're into keeping your promises. How very enlightening. Get out of my house" Sakura snorted.

"No" Sasuke replied firmly.

"Who the hell do you think you are! Waltzing in here like your some sort of prince charming, some goddamn miracle cure for love."

"I've never been a prince, Sakura and I hardly claim a miracle."

"What the hell do you know? Don't act like you know me, Sasuke kun. I grew up along time ago without any help from you."

"Ah, yes the passive aggressive act. How original of you. So you're choosing to blame _me _for him leaving as well then? I just want to be sure we're clear on what I've done to ruin your life."

"Is it anything less than true" Sakura jabbed her spoon into his chest, and then went back to her bowl of ice cream. "He left because he didn't want to compete with _you_" She snapped, sniffling.

"That's it" Sasuke growled. He stalked in front of her, turning off the t.v.

"Hey!" She protested. And. Then. He. Took. Her. Spoon.

Jade eyes lit with the fury only a girl who is being deprived of her comfort ice cream could muster while she dwelled in the mess of heartbreak and apathy.

"Give. It. Back_. Now."_ She ordered, up close and in his face.

"No." Sasuke replied, challenging her.

He blocked the chakra enhanced punch, holding her wrist with his trembling hand, not budging as Sakura growled her rage at him. He held the other wrist as well. Sakura pushed harder and he managed to grab both wrists in one hand.

He bent her spoon and chucked it aside. And Sakura, instead of proceeding to pummel the hell out of him like he anticipated did exactly what he _didn't_ want her to do. Her eyes filled with tears and her hands faltered their control of the chakra waned. The green in her fists died. She started with a tremble as she crumpled, and then began to sob, most wretchedly and pathetic like. Gods Sasuke had kicked puppies and felt better about life than this.

"Damn it!" Sasuke growled, raking a hand through his hair in frustration

_And when you fuck it up you better make damn sure you do *whatever* it takes to make it better…. _Naruto's parting warning speach at the gate echoed in his mind as he scowled.

His final word of advice to him about Sakura had probably been the most important.

"_Sakura chan actually means the opposite when she snarls at you to leave. Don't by her act for an instant. If she kicks you out you be prepared to get your ass pummeled and you stay your ground. _

And so he launched himself at her, wrapping his arms around her tight. She fought him like a wildcat, broke his nose and blacked his eye and lip whilst doing so. She snapped a few ribs in her rage. But he wouldn't let go, and he wouldn't break his promise and finally after he thought he couldn't endure much more, Sakura settled into his arms, turning her face into his chest and sobbed her heart out.

Sasuke sat, taking it all in stride as his nose bleed freely, and he turned her head so she wouldn't get her hair doused in his blood as he stroked her hand and ran lazy circles down his back. He tried to sit up, but the pressure on his ribs was simply too much and so he sat back again, pulling her into his lap.

"It's not fair" She sobbed, beating her fists against his chest. Sasuke winced, painfully, but took it in silence.

"What's not fair?" He murmured to her softly.

"I didn't want to love you. I tried to give you up… _damn it_."

"I know. I'm sorry."

"I want Naruto" She cried. Sasuke flinched, but ignored his wounded pride, and wounded body as his arms drew her closer.

"I know." He replied steadily, still comfortingly. "I'm sorry" He murmured, wiping his bloodied lip so he could kiss her hair tenderly.

"No you're not."

"You have no idea how sorry I am that I can't be him for you." Sasuke returned, sharingan eyes pitiful.

Sakura eyed him, eyes as wide as saucers as she looked at him.

"I know he's the only one you want to comfort you. I know he's the one you chose. I know you _want_ him. I can't be Naruto but I would give anything to make you stop crying. I _hate_ it." Sasuke said wretchedly.

Sakura eyed him astonished as she sniffled.

"Why?" She sniffled into his shirt, clinging to him.

"Because I feel helpless against it." He replied wincing, his poor ribs…

"I don't know if Naruto was right about you being deluded, or still loving me. But even if you don't, if you never trust me ever again, it doesn't matter." Sasuke said.

Sakura's eyebrow arched. Leave it to Sasuke to ruin a justice speech.

"I won't break my promise to him. I will protect you, Sakura and I won't ever leave you again. I'm not going to stop loving you. _I love you,_ Sakura and I'm going to fuck it up all the time and ruin everything. But I promise you that I will do whatever it takes to make it better. Dobe made me promise and I will not break my promises anymore. I'm not going anywhere. So if you need to beat me some more, then feel free. If you want to yell at me or use me as target practice feel free. Do whatever you need to do, because I want to make it up to you even if it means I spend the rest of my life doing it." Sasuke told her genuinely.

And Sakura did what every girl who'd just spent the past 72 hours holed in her home eating junk food, watching and crying to sappy chick flick movies in the hopes that one day she would find what this idiot of an Uchiha had just been spouting in front of her for the past twenty minutes and what she had been waiting for, for only her entire life to hear from him. She kissed him stupid.

Sasuke kissed her back, hissing as she ran her hands up his shirt, his ribs protesting. Sakura didn't stop kissing him. Apparently Sakura was a multi tasker with her brilliant chakra control and proceeded to straddle him, whilst making circling motions around his tongue as she healed him.

The cooling sensation reacted oddly with the heat he felt throbbing through every part of him as she _touched _and kissed, running those lovely hands over his chest, electric tingles making their way like lightning sparks everywhere she touched.

"Sakura…"Sasuke gasped into their kiss as his hands wrapped around her waist. " Do you want this?..." Sasuke paused, so heisitant.

It was cute. "Yes, Sasuke. This should have happened between us long ago" She replied kissing him fervently.

"Aah. But Sakura?" Sasuke said, through her heated kisses.

"Mmm?" She replied, enjoying herself immensely as his breath hitched with her current ministrations to his neck.

"Can we do this in the shower?" He pleaded.

"It can wait" She growled. Sasuke sweatdropped wondering what on earth he had gotten himself into.

In hindsight, showers were entirely overrated when not shared.


End file.
